Jonghyun and Key: What I Wouldn't Give
by To Blind One Gently
Summary: A retelling of the original story of The Little Mermaid, not the Disney version. Jonghyun is a merman who is fascinated by humans; Key is the prince whom Jonghyun just happens to save from drowning. Jonghyun sacrifices everything to be on land with Key. Not that it matters to him, because as long as he can share his time with the man he loves, he'll be happy.


"Now, gather around, gather around, children," the elderly mermaid called out, and settled herself in a huge chair that was carved into a rock. The water rippled as a gaggle of merchildren swam towards her and settled themselves in a semi circle in front of the woman.

Among them was a raven haired boy named Jonghyun. His deep brown eyes, nearly black, shone with excitement and childish wonder, and he pushed himself to the front of the group, trying to be the closest to the elderly mermaid. The other children, all of his siblings, glared at their youngest brother as he swam up and onto the woman's lap.

"Grandma, tell us about the Land Prince again!" Jonghyun begged, bouncing on his grandmother's lap. The elderly woman laughed, and patted Jonghyun's head with an affectionate smile on her face. And of course, the young raven haired boy was delighted, because that meant that she would tell them the story again.

"Not that story again," Jonghyun's oldest sister groaned in protest, rubbing her forehead, "you told us that one two days ago." At this, the small boy glared at his sister, obviously displeased that his sister wasn't as excited as he was to hear the story. He turned his big brown eyes, nearly black, towards his grandmother, the pleading look in them strong and hopeful.

"Fine," the woman concluded, and Jonghyun almost wailed in sadness, but before he could, the woman placed a finger over his lips, "don't worry, Jongie, I'll tell you the story again before I tuck you into bed tonight. I promise." She told him, and instantly, the child was consoled and began bouncing on her lap once more. "Now, this is a story that I've never told any of you," the woman began, and the children instantly fell into a hush, not a sound to be heard.

"Now, all of you know that when you turn fifteen, you can go to the surface to see the humans, right?" All of the children nodded, their eyes wide in anticipation for the new story. "Well, there was a merman. He was a rebellious child, always trying to break the rules–"

"What was his name?" Jonghyun interrupted, and the girls glared even harder at their only brother. Yes, they loved him, but the boy really needed to learn to shut his mouth. But their grandmother merely smiled at the excitable boy. Her tolerance never failed to amaze everyone. She seemed to be one of the only people able to tolerate their hyperactive brother for more than a few hours at a time. Well, her and his best friend, Minho.

"His name was Minhyun. And as I was saying, Minhyun was a very rebellious child. He was a mischievous troublemaker, and more often than not, he would pull pranks on his elders." All of the children gasped. It was unthinkable to treat the elders with anything other than respect. "But, that isn't the point of the story. Now, when Minhyun heard that merfolk weren't allowed to visit the surface until they were fifteen, he decided that he wanted to go up before he was the right age.

"Now, when Minhyun went up to the surface, it was daytime. He was dazzled by the ships he saw, and when he saw his first human, the boy wondered why it was such a big deal to come to the top of the ocean. He moved closer to the humans to get a better look when his tail snagged in a fisherman's net, and as he struggled to get out, the splashing noises that he was making caught the humans' attention, and they came over to where he was.

"Minhyun had been raised to believe that all humans were vicious killers, and most are, but these humans were kind and Minhyun ended up staying with them. When he was there, he began to change his ways. Instead of being a troublemaker, he became helpful. Instead if being rebellious, he became kind and thoughtful. But merfolk age much more slowly than humans. All of the humans who were kind to him and took him in grew old and died while Minhyun was still aging.

"He longed to follow the humans that he loved into the afterlife, but merfolk don't have immortal souls like the humans do, because when we die, we become sea foam. But Minhyun couldn't bear the thought of trying to live without his human friends, so one day, he came up with an idea. He would visit the Sea Witch. The night before he was going to leave, the daughter of one of the humans came to him. Her name was Lily. She was in love with Minhyun, and he in return held deep feelings of love for her.

"She begged him not to leave, and kissed him. Now, when she kissed him, the pure love that they held for each other broke off part of her soul and it went to him. He wasn't human, but he gained part of Lily's soul, which was the much desired immortal human soul that meant that when he died, he would no longer become sea foam, but instead go where the humans went when they died– to the Fields of Elysium.

"But Minhyun didn't know this. And so he left anyways, promising to return to her even if he could not achieve his goal. At the very least, he hoped that he could gain legs so that he would be able to move about in his own, rather than swim through the human made canals. When he reached the Sea Witch, she already had foreseen his arrival, and had an offer ready for him. You see, the Sea Witch never does anything for free.

"She told him that his love with Lily would give him an immortal soul, and upon the birth of their first child, he would gain an entire soul, rather than a fragment of Lily's. And then she offered him a potion that would make him human, and as he reached out to accept it, she asked if he was willing to pay the price for his humanity.

"The price was the life of his first born child. She told him that when the child was born, he would have to hand it over to her and she would raise it as her own. When he began to protest, she told him that he would have three more children with Lily, but no children would be born at all if he didn't become a human. At this, Minhyun was torn. Would he really give up his first born child so he could be with Lily as a human?

"But for this exception, the Sea Witch was benevolent. She told him that in three days, she would meet him on the shoreline and make his final decision then. He thanked her and left, returning back to the sea side city that had become his home. Lily was waiting for him, and although she was disappointed that he didn't have legs to live on land with her, she was glad that he came back to her.

"When Minhyun told her about the Sea Witch's offer, Lily was silent. And then she said that she was willing to give up their first child if it meant that she could have him with her forever. When the Sea Witch came to the shore three days later like she said, Minhyun and Lily were waiting, and when they agreed, she handed them the potion. And then she gave the final warning, which was that every step that Minhyun would feel like he was walking on knives, but he would be the most elegant dancer that anyone would ever see.

"He agreed none the less, and drank the potion. When his fin glimmered and faded into two human legs, he stood shakily and then took his first steps. He thanked the Sea Witch who only said that she would be back after their first child was born. He and Lily walked hand and hand to her home, where Minhyun would now be staying. Only a few days later, they were married.

"It wasn't long after their wedding that Lily discovered that she was with child. At first both of them were delighted, but then Minhyun remembered his promise to the Sea Witch. When it was time for Lily to give birth, the Sea Witch appeared in their home. Minhyun pleaded with her to spare his child, but the Sea Witch responded that he had made an agreement, and if he chose to break it, he would lose his legs and be separated from his wife. Lily told him that although they could never replace their first child, they could have more.

"So Minhyun gave his child to the Sea Witch, who in turn named the child Taemin and raised him as her own. Although his parents mourned his loss, Minhyun and Lily went on to have more children. Now, the moral of this story is that life has its trade offs and hard choices. Life is like a story without an eraser. At some point, you all will need to make tough decisions, and they won't always be easy, and they won't always be right. But they're yours to make, and don't ever let anyone tell you otherwise." The elderly mermaid finished.

"But what happened to Taemin?" Jonghyun asked her, his eyes fighting to stay open at this point. His voice was also slurred with sleep, but his curiosity was keeping him from being able to fall into a peaceful sleep. The woman paused, as if deciding whether or not to answer the small boy's question.

"He followed in the Sea Witch's footsteps, and for the last two hundred years, he has taken over for her, and he now knows all of her magic. I've heard that he's beautiful, like his mother, but his prices for his magic and potions are even steeper than what the old Sea Witch's were... But don't worry about that young one, you will never have to interact with him." The woman said, and kissed the boy's head. He made a sound of agreement, and then fell asleep in her arms.

- Jonghyun and Key: What I Wouldn't Give -

When Jonghyun's oldest sister went to the surface, he waited anxiously for her to return. And when she did, he asked her all about it, not resting until he leeched every bit of information from her. She told him about the dry sand and boats and the sunsets. Jonghyun hung on her every word, and with each passing minute, he wished for his fifteenth birthday to come faster.

As each of his siblings had their turn, Jonghyun would do the same to them as he did to his elder sister. He hung on to the story of Minhyun and the life he lived, and he began to romanticize the thought of humans. His head was full of fantasies of him going to the surface and finding his true love.

But his fascination with the surface worried his family. His sisters appreciated his enthusiasm for hearing their stories, but with each passing day of seeing Jonghyun stare towards the surface with a longing look, they grew more concerned. Their grandmother understood that Jonghyun was only excited to see the surface for himself, but even she was concerned for the young merman.

But Jonghyun's father was a different story. He was extremely protective of his youngest, and only, son. Whenever he would try to connect to his son, Jonghyun would instead ask him about his experiences of the surface. Had he met any humans? Seen any ships? It got to the point where the Sea King didn't even want his son to go to the surface in fear of losing him to the human world.

And his fear began to grow because his son's fifteenth birthday was rapidly approaching. On the eve of the boy's birthday, his father sat him down, and tried to explain to him that he wasn't sure that Jonghyun should go to the surface right away.

"Look, I know how excited you are to go up to the surface," the Sea King told his son, "but maybe you can hold off for a year or two. You believe that all humans are benevolent and kind, but they aren't. The stories your grandmother told you are just that: stories. I want you to know the reality of what you're going to see when you go up there, not just have a fantasy world painted in your mind that will let you down." He explained.

"But that's not fair!" Jonghyun protested, clenching his fists. "You let all of my sisters go up, what's so different about me?" The raven haired boy shook his head, anger filling his deep brown eyes. His father sat quietly, waiting for the boy to calm down, his own brown eyes weary. If he wasn't so afraid of his son's romanticized thoughts about humans, he wouldn't hesitate to let him go up. After all, he remembered how excited he had been to go up to the surface for the first time.

And he hated to crush that dream for his son, but he felt as if it was something that had to be done to protect him. The young merman swam out without a word, and his father keenly felt that the bond between them had been severely damaged. The Sea King rubbed his forehead, and slowly made his way back to his throne room, where he spent the rest of the night wondering if his fear was making him irrational and if he had acted too harshly.

The first thing that Jonghyun did after his father had told him that he should wait to go up was to go find his best friend, Minho. Of course, Jonghyun found the tell merman surrounded by a group of love struck mermaids. He was speaking animatedly, and they seemed to hang on every word that fell from his lips. Jonghyun sat on a rock that was in the brunette's peripheral sight, and the moment that Minho saw him, he told the girls that he had to go, which earned a cry of protest from them. Which, in return, Minho ignored in favor of swimming over to his best friend.

"What's wrong?" Minho asked, genuine concern showing on his face. He had known Jonghyun for far to long to pretend like whatever was wrong with the raven was small. "You look as if you were just told that you can't go to the surface tomorrow..." Jonghyun flinched, and Minho's eyes widened before they shone with sympathy. "Oh Jongie, what happened?"

"My father said that I should wait for a year or two because I 'believe that all humans are benevolent and kind' and that he doesn't want me to be let down because the surface isn't like the fantasy I have in my head." He told the other male quietly, he looked down, his anger dissipating into sadness. "Why am I the only one that he won't let go up? I mean, I could go anyways, but I do respect my father, and I don't think I could blatantly defy him like that..."

Minho gently laid his hand on Jonghyun's shoulder, his eyes still shining in sympathy. "I'm sure that he's doing what he feels is best... You may not like it, but sometimes we don't see what is right in front of us because we're so anxious to do what we want." Jonghyun nodded at his friend's advice, even though the thought of not going to the surface the next day still hung heavily on his heart.

So Jonghyun waited. But he didn't let his romanticized thoughts about humans change. Instead, he began exploring ship wrecks and finding strange human items, which he stored in a secret cave that he and Minho had discovered when they were younger. But when he was around his father, he pretended like he wasn't dying to go up to the surface, and that seemed to put the older merman at ease. Jonghyun bided his time, and when he saw his opportunity to ask his father to go up to the surface, the man agreed, his previous fear for his son nearly non existent after three years.

On his eighteenth birthday, Jonghyun finally went to the surface. His brown eyes were wide with wonder as he saw the vibrant blue sky with white puffy looking things that he assumed were clouds. He could feel the warmth of the sun on his skin, and for the first time in his life, he could feel the water drying on his face as the sun's rays evaporated it. Jonghyun savored every minute that he could explore the surface. Now, if only he could find the shore that his sisters had told him about.

He swam in a random direction, not sure where the shore would be. After about a half hour of swimming, Jonghyun finally found what he assumed was the shore. The sand was dry and warm, and Jonghyun rolled in it, giggling like a madman. The raven buried his hands in the sand, and after a while, he slipped back into the ocean to wash all of the sand off of his body. He sighed happily, knowing that the only thing that could make this day even more perfect was if he saw actual humans. But the sun was setting, and he had promised to be back home an hour after sunset.

The raven let out another sigh and dived back under the water, already planning his return to the surface. He was nearly halfway home when a huge shadow passed over him. Deep brown eyes looked towards the surface, and then widened as he realized that a boat, a real, actual boat, was passing over him. Thoughts of returning home abandoned, Jonghyun shot back up towards the top of the water.

When he breached the surface, music, a strange type of music that he had never heard before, reached his ears. Chills went down his spine as the music touched something inside of him that he hadn't even realized was there. This strange human music made him want to dance, to move his body to the happy, upbeat tune. As this strange feeling swept through his body, he moved closer to the ship, his heart beginning to race as he got closer to the humans that he had grown up hearing tales of.

The wood of the ship felt so strange under his fingers, like smooth coral but with a roughness that didn't exist under the water. With his jaw hanging open in awe, Jonghyun inspected the ship, being careful to stay out of sight to the humans; he would find a way to see them when he was done feeling the grooves of the wood. In his exploration, he found smooth, cool, strange looking things that jutted out from the side of the ship. He could grip one in his hand, and his eyes looked up, seeing that they went all the way up the side of the ship to a small opening.

With a strength he didn't know he had, Jonghyun pulled himself up using the strange things, and peeked over the edge of the opening. And then he saw feet. And they were moving in time to the music, and the humans were using their hands to clap as well. It appeared to be some sort of party. Jonghyun then looked up, seeing their faces. They looked like merfolk, and Jonghyun wondered what the big deal was that separated the two races. Other than one group living on land and the other living underwater, he couldn't see many other differences.

"You need to marry soon, Prince Kibum," Jonghyun suddenly heard, and he ducked below the opening, the nearness of the voice shocking him. A sigh was heard after the statement, and Jonghyun couldn't help but notice the subtle annoyance in it. Why would this Prince be annoyed about having to marry? Was it not a joyous thing like it was down in Atlantica? Jonghyun's brow furrowed in confusion.

"I will, at some point," a new voice answered, and a jolt went through Jonghyun's body. The raven was swept away by the strong urge to see this human's face, and his fingers clenched around the edge of the cool rung. "I just haven't found the right person yet, and I want to marry for love, not just to please my father." Even Jonghyun could hear the sadness and displeasure in the voice... It sounded as if the male had the weight of the world on his shoulders.

"Surely someone has caught your eye?" The first voice urged, and Jonghyun heard yet another sigh from the prince, Kibum, he replaced in his mind, liking the way the name sounded. He shifted forward, careful to not reveal himself, but far enough forward that he could try to catch a glimpse of Kibum. Before he could get very far, a huge thing, covered in hair, came bounding towards him. In his terror at seeing this huge creature coming towards him, he lost his grip and fell back into the ocean with a splash that was silent compared to the loud music. Jonghyun moved to a safe distance away, wary of the creature and not knowing what it could do.

"Shawol!" Kibum's voice called out, loud enough that Jonghyun could still hear it as he stayed just below the surface. But he didn't care that the man was yelling at the strange creature, because he finally saw the face that belonged to the voice that sent chills down his spine. And the moment Jonghyun saw Kibum's face, his heart began to beat faster, and he felt as if he had finally found a piece of himself that he didn't know he was missing. To say that he was terrified at this strong pull towards a human that he didn't even know was an understatement, but he didn't care. He wanted to get to know this human, this prince, with the hypnotic voice and small grin.

The prince who was ruffling the hair of the strange creature with an affectionate look on his face, and treating the creature like a friend. Jonghyun resurfaced, watching the prince, his attention so focused on the other male that he didn't notice how the waters became increasingly more and more rough, or how the clouds, nearly black in the night sky, began to shift and swirl around each other. What finally took his attention from the prince was when droplets of water that were falling from the sky, began to fall on his exposed shoulders and face.

A streak of light crossed the sky, followed by a boom that shook the air around him and reverberated through his entire body. Wide eyes turned up to the sky as the merman witnessed his first storm, the water falling into his eyes not even making him flinch. Once again, a loud sound jerked him from his thoughts, and he turned to see what had caused this noise. What he saw had him swimming towards the human ship as fast as he could. Now, he knew why the ships at the bottom of the ocean looked like they did.

He witnessed first hand the damage that a ship could receive from crashing into rocks, and from where he was, he could see the water flooding into the huge hole that was left from the collision, and there was do doubt in his mind that the water would pull the ship to the bottom of the ocean within minutes. But Jonghyun didn't care about the ship; his attention was devoted to finding the prince and making sure that he was okay. He wasn't sure why a panic seized his chest at the thought of the handsome prince meeting an untimely fate, but he was determined that the man would live to see another day.

The humans were scrambling around, some trying to get smaller boats into the churning water, some just jumping into the cold water, but Jonghyun couldn't find the prince. He heard a strange barking noise, not unlike the noise that some seals occasionally made, and he spotted the hairy creature from earlier. It's eyes were focused on Jonghyun, but when it seemed to realize that he was looking at it, it went mad, making the barking noises like crazy, and kept running to the other side of the sinking ship. The merman couldn't figure out what the creature was trying to say, but then it let out a high pitched whine, and the raven haired male swam over to that area.

There, he saw the prince, who was trying to save another human, who appeared to be unconscious. The merman let out a sigh of relief, watching as they both made it safely to one of the smaller boats. His relief, however, was short lived. The hair on the back of his neck rose as the streak of light struck again, hitting one of the taller parts of the quickly sinking ship. A frantic streak of barks and whines came from the deck, and Jonghyun gasped as he realized that the creature, who didn't seem as scary anymore, was still stuck on the ship.

The prince turned, and seeing that the animal had been left behind, dived into the water without a second though. The brunette fought against the waves, and grabbed onto the strange silver things that jutted out from the side of the boat, pulling himself up onto the deck. The animal ran towards him, and he picked it up, and launched both of them over the edge and into the water. The animal was the first to resurface, the prince popping up only a minute later, and they both began paddling towards the small boats.

A huge wave toppled Jonghyun before he even saw it coming, and the merman tumbled in the water. When he regained his equilibrium, he shook his head, clearing the lingering dizziness. And then he heard the shouting. "Prince Kibum!" The men on the small boat were yelling, and the creature was whining. The man was obviously struggling to fight against the waves, and even Jonghyun could see that he was quickly exhausting himself.

And the strong urge to help the handsome prince was strong, but some part of him, the realistic part that was cautious when it came to humans, held him back for a split second. And that second was all it took for a huge wave to crash into the prince, slamming him into a nearby rock, knocking him unconscious. The brunette slid down the rock and into the water. 'NO!' Jonghyun mentally screamed, and shot towards the prince. It was scary how quickly the prince sunk, but the raven was too panicked to even worry about it. The only thought in his mind was to save Kibum.

When he got close enough, he grabbed the brunette's wrist, pulling the slim male to his chest, and swimming in the direction that he recalled the beach being in. He made sure to keep Kibum's head above the water so he could breathe, but Jonghyun didn't feel any part of the man moving. When he finally got the other male to shore, he tried to figure out if the brunette was breathing. When there was no sign of movement from the male's chest, Jonghyun pressed down on his stomach, figuring that maybe he had swallowed so much water that it was blocking the way the human breathed.

He did this repeatedly, terror spiking in his chest when the male suddenly convulsed violently and coughed up water. The brunette his side, heaving as his body expelled the sea water that had been slowly suffocating him. Hazel eyes turned towards Jonghyun, who shrunk down and shifted his tail into the water. Kibum's eyes studied him, but Jonghyun didn't think that the prince was really seeing him. Something about his gaze was unfocused.

"I... You're the most handsome man I've ever seen..." Jonghyun began, and Kibum startled, his eyes beginning to focus. Before Jonghyun could say anything else, the loud barking started, and he slid further into the water. "This won't be the last time I see you..." And as he moved back into the water, he couldn't help but wonder if the promise was for Kibum or for himself.

The merman watched as the hairy creature, followed closely by someone dressed in strange long clothes, came to the prince's rescue. Kibum was staring out towards the ocean, and Jonghyun's heart was fluttering wildly in his chest. The brunette seemed to be trying to get to the ocean, his expression confused. And to Jonghyun's own dismay, the strangely clothed person finally got the prince moving away from the sea. He watched as the brunette cast one last look over his shoulder before disappearing around a huge rock.

That was when Jonghyun knew that he had met the person he was destined to fall in love with. How else could he explain the irrational thinking he had when it came to the prince? He wanted to get to know him, learn all of his secrets, touch his face, touch everywhere just to feel the skin he had no doubt would be soft and sun-kissed. The raven wanted to cup the prince's face and slowly kiss those lips he wanted so much, and somehow, he would find a way to have it.

- Jonghyun and Key: What I Wouldn't Give -

"... Jonghyun's singing again," one of the raven haired merman's sisters whispered to another, nearly two weeks later. It was blatantly obvious that she was trying to be quiet without really being quiet. She was probably hoping that he would finally tell them why he had been so happy these last few days. But the prince, and Jonghyun's own love for the prince, would stay his secret until he could go back up and find the man. Well, his and Minho's, because he told his best friend everything.

"Jonghyun?" His father's voice appeared, but for once, Jonghyun was too relaxed and giddy to even care. He picked one of the sea flowers and swam languidly towards the elder merman. He slipped it behind the man's ear, and then swam away, still singing. He didn't notice the shocked look on his father's face or the way his eldest sister's face lit up in recognition. "What was that?" The Sea King asked, confusion etched on his face.

"Can't you tell, daddy?" The eldest sister said, a smug grin on her lips. Everyone looked at her, imploring her with their eyes to go on. "Our little Jongie is in love! He's staring off into the distance with a silly grin on his lips, he's singing as though he was serenading a lover, and he's so relaxed and content and handing out flowers. So yes, he's in love!" She giggled, and the rest of the sisters began to giggle in time with her, glad that someone had finally figured out why their only brother was acting so strange.

"Jonghyun's in love..." The Sea King paused, taking the flower out from behind his ear and twirling it between his fingers. He had never seen his youngest son even remotely act like this, and it was puzzling, but if he was in love, then the Sea King figured that it made sense. And he was happy that his son had finally found someone that made him act like this. "I wonder who the lucky mermaid is–"

"I hate to break it to you, papa," another sister spoke up, cutting him off, "but all of us are pretty sure that Jongie is in love with another guy." She told her father. The old Sea King paused, and then gave his daughter a smile. Same gender pairings had never been a problem in Atlantica, and was almost as common as straight pairings. Either way, the Sea King was ecstatic that his youngest son had found someone to love him, who hopefully loved him in return.

"I see... Well then, I wonder who the lucky merman is. To have Jongie in love with him, he must be extremely special." The man then bid farewell to his daughters and went back to the throne room. Meanwhile, Jonghyun was searching for Minho, something he seemed to do a lot. Of course, like all the times before, Minho was in the center of a group of mermaids.

"Minho!" Jonghyun called out, not wanting to wait until the other male saw him. He was impatient, and he wanted his friend now. He could care less about the mermaids who sent nasty glares towards him. Minho looked up, grinned and waved, and swam away from the mermaids and towards his friend.

"Such a playboy," Jonghyun teased, and Minho just shot him a grin back. "So are you ready to go?" Jonghyun asked his friend, and Minho rolled his eyes at his overly excited friend. There was a small silence, and then a huge grin formed on Minho's lips, and he gave his friend a teasing glance. He would never pass up an opportunity to mess with the raven haired male.

"No, I won't be ready for another week. Mind waiting here?" And then he was off, swimming upwards. Jonghyun was shocked into silence, but when he friend darted off, a challenging grin formed on his lips, and he followed suit, trying to catch the other male. But the dark haired brunette had always been faster than Jonghyun, so by the time he reached the surface, Minho had already started towards the shore.

"Slow down, you fast bastard!" Jonghyun called out, only receiving a laugh from the brunette as he swam faster. The raven haired merman groaned, and tried to catch up with Minho. When Jonghyun saw the towers that looked over the shore, however, he swam faster. The closer that he got to Kibum, the more energy he seemed to get. And the look on Minho's face as the raven passed him was priceless, causing Jonghyun to laugh this time, and he surged forward, using the waves to speed up his already fast momentum.

As Jonghyun got even closer to the beach, he was greeted by the sound of a singular instrument. He stayed close to the rocks, but left himself with a great view of the beach. His heart began to beat as he saw Kibum sitting in the sand, playing the instrument. The light haired brunette was playing the sweetest music that the raven haired male had ever heard, and he let out a happy sigh. He propped his elbows on a rock, and rested his chin in one of his hands as he watched as Kibum's nimble fingers danced along the keys of the silver instrument.

A moment later, Minho was next to him, his brown eyes observing the human on the sand. It was the first time that Jonghyun had brought his friend with him, even though the darker haired brunette had only heard about the prince since last week, seeing as the prince was all that Jonghyun would talk about. And as much as he loved his friend and wanted for the raven to be happy, he was a bit worried about the amount of time that the raven was spending at the surface, keenly watching the human. Minho didn't want to see his friend's heart get broken when he realized that he could never spend his life with the human.

"Isn't he just perfect?" Jonghyun sighed lovingly, his adoration for the human obvious. "He's been out here every day since I rescued him... I know that maybe he does it just because the ocean is beautiful, but I can't help but wonder if maybe, just maybe, he's looking for me, or rather, his rescuer that disappeared into the ocean." The raven haired male said quietly, and Minho glanced at him, and then back to the human, who had stopped playing the flute and was now staring at over the ocean. It almost looked as if he was waiting for something to come forward from the sea, like he was waiting for some unanswered questions and the vast amount of water held them all.

"Jonghyun, don't take this the wrong way, but why love him? He's a human, you're not. He lives on land, he walks, he probably doesn't know that merfolk even exist... Why him? Why not find a merman that you can share your life with?" Minho asked, and when Jonghyun looked at him, he was relieved to see that Minho wasn't judging him, but merely curious as to why he had fallen in love with a human who was practically unattainable. Jonghyun paused to consider his answer.

"Something about him... There was just something about him that drew me towards him, and then the more I see him, even from far away, the more my desire to get to know him grows, and the more my love for him grows. I know... That it seems silly to fall in love with a human, especially one I've never actually met, but I'll find a way to be with him. I don't know when, I don't know how, but there is something starting right now, and I'll be damned if I give him up simply because it seems impossible now." Jonghyun's black eyes shined with determination.

"I'll help you in every way I can," Minho promised, and the raven haired male smiled. He didn't know how he had gotten such a loyal friend, but he would never take the brunette's friendship for granted. And no words could express how grateful he was that Minho would stand behind him as he searched for a way to be with Kibum. Even if it was just being friends, it was better than just watching him from afar.

When Kibum stood and began to walk towards the town, Minho and Jonghyun went back to Atlantica, where they were shocked to find the Sea King waiting for them. Jonghyun nudged Minho, telling him to leave, but ever the loyal friend, the brunette shook his head and remained where he was. The raven haired male looked towards his father, but the way his father was looking between him and Minho was strange, and puzzled him.

"Is the boy who holds your heart?" His father asked out of the blue, and the questions was so random that Jonghyun laughed at it. Minho cracked up too, which made Jonghyun laugh even harder. The Sea King's brow furrowed, trying to pinpoint what in his question had been funny. Jonghyun looked up towards his father, and seeing the confused look on the elder's face, he laughed even harder than before, his arms wrapping around his middle.

"N-no!" The raven managed to say after his laughter had mostly subsided. "I'm not in l-love with Minho!" He began chuckling again, and Minho dramatically draped a hand over his face, and that was when Jonghyun knew that things were going to get even better. Minho leaned towards him, puckering his lips, and Jonghyun playfully pushed him away. "Nooooo, Minho, I don't like you like that!"

"But I looooooove you, Jongie-Poo!" He chuckled, and a mischievous gleam shined in his eye. "Besides, that wasn't what you were saying last night." He added, and the implication in his sentence made Jonghyun blush. Even though they were messing around, his father wouldn't see it that way, and Jonghyun shook his head.

"But really, we're not together, father," the young merman said, becoming serious as he looked towards the Sea King. The elder raised an eyebrow, and Jonghyun knew that he wanted to know who it was that Jonghyun was in love with. He bit his lip, not wanting to say anything, but he also knew that his father wouldn't let it go until he told him. "When I went to the surface, I saw a human ship. I was curious, because it seemed like they were having a party–"

"What does this have to do with who you're in love with?" The Sea King asked, not seeing how his son's visit to the surface would have anything to do with who held his heart. Unless... "Is it a human?" He asked, his voice becoming hard as the fear from three years ago came back like a tidal wave. He wouldn't let his son fall prey to the thought that he could love a human. If his son said yes, he would put a stop to that dangerous train of thought that moment.

"Uh... Yes," Jonghyun whispered, nervously running his hand through his hair. "He almost drowned after the ship crashed–" he began to say, but the change in his father's expression halted him mid-sentence. The man's curious look had become nearly murderous, and Jonghyun felt his blood go cold in his veins. Minho sensed it too, and he reached out to grip Jonghyun's hand in a show of him being there for him.

"You should have let the human drown! You will NOT be going to the surface again!" The Sea King growled, the water churning around him as his fear fueled anger grew. "Not until these foolish thoughts about loving a human are gone! I thought you were ready to go up to the surface, but I was wrong! You obviously still think of humans as benevolent people, just like the stories your grandmother told you! But they aren't true! Humans fear what they don't understand, and because of that fear, they kill and act irrationally! I will not have you be subjected to that!"

"It's that what you're doing though?" Jonghyun shot back, his own anger rising, battling against his grief that his father couldn't just be happy for him. "You hypocrite! You're acting out of fear, aren't you? And I can do what I want! You don't control me!" The raven haired male yelled, his hands shaking from the force of his emotions. He spun around and swam away, dragging Minho with him by their intertwined hands.

But his father's words jogged a memory from him. For the first time in a long time, he remembered the story of Minhyun, and how he had gained legs by making a deal with the Sea Witch. Jonghyun only stopped swimming when his father was far behind them, and then he turned to face his friend, his mind still spinning with the possibility. The raven bit his lip as he prepared to tell the brunette what he was planning.

"I'm going to make a deal with the Sea Witch, Taemin," he blurted, and Minho's eyes widened, and then darted around nervously. Everyone had heard of Taemin, the newer Sea Witch. But the name was like a taboo in their society. The older Sea Witch had made deals with a steep payment, but rumor had it that Taemin's payments were even steeper. Merfolk steered clear of the place where the boy lived, and only in stories meant to scare children was the name spoken aloud.

"I can't go back, not with my father the way he is," Jonghyun whispered sadly, but the grimly determined look had settled in his eyes, and Minho knew that there was no talking the male out of it now. "And I'm willing to make a deal if it means that I can be with Kibum..." Jonghyun clasped his hands together, wondering what price he would have to pay to gain legs. Black eyes flitted up towards Minho. "Will you help me?"

"You know I will, I already promised you that much." Minho confirmed, even though Jonghyun could still see that the other male was still uncomfortable with the idea. The two mermen swam until they found a decent place to sleep, and when they woke, they both were tense with nervousness. "I don't know if I'm ready for this," Minho said, looking towards Jonghyun, "are you?"

"I don't know. But if I can be with Kibum, even as a friend, it'll be worth it..." He paused, and then grabbed Minho's hand. "But you'll forever be my best friend, and I'll still want you to come visit me..." He told the brunette, who gave him a small smile and a nod. "How did I end up with such an amazing friend?" Jonghyun wondered aloud, and Minho smirked.

"Because you're one lucky bastard," and then they went in search of the cave in which the Sea Witch lived in. It ended up only taking them an hour to find it, and the foreboding feeling that hung around it made both boy's even more nervous. A cold laugh sounded from inside the cave, and both boys jumped. A moment later, a shadow was seen, and then the Sea Witch was in the entrance, eyeing both if them with a half smirk.

"Are you going to come in or float out there looking like a duo of fools?" The boy said, brushing his golden brown hair, that hung to his shoulders in a way that wasn't commonly seen among mermen, behind his ear. Minho's eyes stayed on the oddly beautiful boy, and it ended up being the brunette who swam forward first, much to Jonghyun's shock. He followed right away, barely pausing at the cave entrance before entering.

He was slightly shocked and highly relieved to see that the dwelling looked relatively normal. He wasn't sure what exactly he had been expecting, but it certainly wasn't the neat room with everything perfectly clean. Jonghyun looked around, his eyes wide. Other than a mixing cauldron, the cave looked like a regular merfolk dwelling. And other than a fin as black as night, the Sea Witch looked completely normal as well.

"Welcome, Jonghyun, Minho," Taemin said, his light brown eyes cold, but shining as if there was some joke that he knew the answer to but was keeping them from them. "Now, what exactly can I do for you? I have the gist of the idea, but not completely." He continued, gesturing between them. "And please be quick, I don't like dragging things out."

"I want to have legs like a human! Actually, I want to be human..." He whispered. Taemin tilted his head, and gestured for Jonghyun to go on. "I want legs so that I can walk on the surface and be with my true love," his sentence trailed off, and he turned hopeful eyes towards the Sea Witch.

"I can do that, however, as I'm sure you've heard, there is a price to pay." Taemin said. The honey haired brunette then swam over and pulled a curtain of seaweed away to reveal a mini cave filled with different ingredients. "The potion for legs also has some drawbacks. It will feel like you are walking on sharp objects, knives, as the humans say, all of the time. Can you tolerate that?" The boy asked, scooping up different items and moving back over to the cauldron.

"Yes. I'm willing to do anything," Jonghyun told the black finned boy. Taemin's eyes flashed red momentarily before he started dropping the ingredients into the stone pot. The boy mashed them and began to mix them together, and a strange mist rose up around the pot, and Jonghyun began to feel more and more uneasy, but he remained still, knowing that he was getting closer and closer to being able to meet Kibum in person.

"Now, about the potion..." Taemin said, his brown eyes flashing red once again. "You can never become a merman again, well, not without a different spell, which would require cutting another deal. But that's beside the point. This potion only lasts for twenty sunsets, starting the day after you drink the potion. I'll give you a bracelet that has beads so that you are constantly reminded of how long you have. In this time, you must convince this true love of yours to marry you, and only when you share a kiss will you be able to keep your legs, and gain an immortal soul. If the person you love weds another, you will turn into sea foam the next sunrise."

Jonghyun took a deep breath in, not expecting that if he didn't make Kibum fall in love and marry him, he would die. He swallowed, and nodded. "I accept," he whispered, and he felt Minho flinch beside him. The raven haired male spared a glance towards his best friend of many years, and his heart clenched when he saw the terrified look in his brown eyes. "Don't worry, I'll be able to do it." He told the other male.

"I'm sure you will," Minho told him, "but I'll still be worrying about you every minute." He turned and looked a Taemin. "Surely you have some way to watch out and see how he's doing, right?" He asked the honey haired brunette. Taemin raised an eyebrow, obviously not expecting the fierce loyalty, but then nodded. "Then I'll be here whenever I can, watching out for him." Minho told the boy, who just stared back at him. After a minute, the Sea Witch nodded, and then went back to mixing the potion.

"Now, for payment, I want your voice," the brunette said, a smirk pulling at his lips. "Now, not all of the time, only when you are in the presence of others. When you are with your love, you will never be able to speak a word, but when you are by yourself, then you will be free to speak." The Witch amended. Jonghyun thought that the price was strange, why only take away his voice part of the time? "And I know you're probably wondering why I want it only partially," Jonghyun blinked, blushing because that was exactly what he had been thinking.

"As to why, it's because the other task you have as part of your payment is for you to compose a song so beautiful that it would make angels weep, and for that, you need your voice to sing." The Witch told him. "I will come to you on the last night to receive the song. Even if you receive your kiss, if you don't keep your side of the deal, then it will be revoked." Jonghyun swallowed, not sure how he would compose a song that powerful with instruments he hadn't used before.

But he would do it, because he would have Kibum as his muse, and with a muse that affected him so deeply, he was sure that he could compose something. "Alright. We have a deal," Jonghyun said, his shoulders straightening. Taemin grinned at him, and scooped the mushy potion from out of the cauldron using a hallowed out seashell, and poured it into a clear container that had no doubt come from a sunken ship. The brunette held the potion out, and Jonghyun moved to take it.

When the container was in his hands, he stared at it like it was something holy, and he supposed that in a way, for him, it was. This was the key to being with Kibum, and if it hadn't been for his fight with his father, he probably wouldn't have even thought about going to the Sea Witch for a much longer time. Black eyes flickered up to meet Taemin's light brown eyes, and he nodded his head in thanks. The light haired brunette smirked, and reached to a small hidden hole, and pulled out a bracelet, which shone with twenty beads. Jonghyun was glad that it had a more masculine set to it, and he took it when it was offered to him, slipping it onto his wrist.

"It'll start your countdown the day after you drink the potion," Taemin told him. "And I'll be watching, along with your friend, I suppose. Best of luck, Jonghyun." The brunette said, doing a slight bow at the waist. He straightened, and looked directly at Minho, who was staring right back at him. "Make sure that your friend is by the shore when he takes the potion. It wouldn't do him any good to drink it underwater and then drown." And with that, the Sea Witch swam through an entrance that led deeper into the cave.

"Let's go," Jonghyun said, excitement bubbling in his chest. The two mermen swam out of the cave and towards the surface, one looking worried and the other looking positively elated. When they got to their hiding place from before, Jonghyun looked at the potion tightly gripped in his hands. "This is it... Don't forget to come see me, I'll try to make it out here at every sunset." The raven told his best friend.

"Alright... Be careful!" Minho playfully shoulder bumped Jonghyun. "And make that prince of yours fall head over... Feet? I was going to say fin, but humans don't have fins." The brunette said, looking puzzled. Jonghyun laughed, and hugged his friend, whispering thank you before swimming closer to the shore. Jonghyun looked back at his friend once more before he brought the edge of the container to his lips and drank the mushy potion.

At first, it didn't feel like anything was happening, but the second after the thought of, "that Witch tricked me!" crossed his mind, there was a horrible ripping feeling through his center. It felt as if someone was trying to drag a sea urchin through his chest and was ripping him open instead. He doubled over, his arms wrapping around his stomach as the blinding pain took over his entire body. The raven's jaw locked, preventing him from even crying out in pain, but the scream that was in his throat vibrated around, almost like he was humming. And that was all his world consisted of, the pain and the strange keening that was barely making its way through his lips.

And then it all stopped. In a split second, he went from feeling as if he was going to die to feeling like nothing had happened at all. And other than a tingle in his lower body, there was not even a trace of the ripping pain that he had just experienced. He slowly tried to sit up, not expecting how the waves would tumble his body over. That was strange because usually his fin... He looked down, and much to his delight and slight disbelief, instead of his fin, he had legs. Two human legs that were apparently lighter than his fin..

He tried to call out to Minho, but nothing came out of his throat, but ended up gesturing wildly to his newly acquired legs. The raven sat, lifting one into the air, looking at his foot. He wiggled the small parts attracted to it, wondering what they were. A silent laugh came from him as he realized that they were like mini fingers. The merman let his leg drop, splashing water all around, before digging his mini fingers into the sand.

And then a wave hit him. He flailed wildly, trying to figure out how to balance without the familiar weight of his fin, but ended up falling under the water. It was only when he came back up spluttering and choking that he remembered that humans couldn't breathe underwater. And that was when he heard Minho laughing... At him. The black haired male glared at his friend, crossing his arms across his chest with a baleful pout on his lips.

After a few minutes of pointedly ignoring his best friend, Jonghyun heard the familiar sound of the instrument that Kibum always played. He pulled himself all the way to where the water barely reached, and then he realized that his body was completely bare. It didn't bother him, but he had never seen Kibum without some form of clothes, and he figured that it was a human thing. Panic began to set in when the music was getting closer, and his eyes scanned the beach for something that could substitute for the clothes that he didn't need as a merman.

As if fate was rooting for him, he saw some sort of cloth, and he tried to get to it. The raven bit his lip as he realized that he was too slow, and so he tried to stand. At first, he couldn't even get to his feet seeing as his legs gave out underneath him, and the second time he tried to stand, his legs were shaking so hard that Jonghyun was impressed that he was still somehow standing, and that was ignoring the piercing pain that he felt. The male tried to take a step forward, but ended up falling on his face once more. Jonghyun understood what the Sea Witch meant when he had warned him that it would feel like he was constantly walking on sharp objects.

"Oh my Lord! Are you alright?" Kibum's voice called out, and Jonghyun stiffened, not realizing how close the man had gotten. Wide black eyes looked towards Kibum, who was running towards him, and then kneeling beside him. Worried hazel eyes focused on his face, and the merman felt his cheeks heat up in a blush. The first time he actually met Kibum, and he was face down in the dirt, , which he was pretty sure wasn't common or accepted in the human society.

"Sir?" Kibum gently laid a hand on Jonghyun's shoulder, and his head tilted. "Are you alright?" He asked again, and Jonghyun slowly nodded. He was okay, but he didn't know how to walk, and he couldn't even fathom how he would walk at all, considering how much it hurt to even just stand. The raven looked up at Kibum, and the worried look on the brunette's face made Jonghyun want to kiss him. But it bothered him that he was making the prince look like that. So he pulled his legs under him, folded at the strange joints, so he was sitting on them, and looked at the prince.

The blush that appeared on Kibum's face was adorable, and Jonghyun figured that was when the brunette realized that other than being covered in sand, the raven haired male wasn't wearing anything. "H-here, take this," Kibum said, unhooking his cloak, and handed it to Jonghyun. The black eyed male looked at it, and then took it, trying to figure out how it worked.

As if Kibum understood his confusion, he reached out and draped the cloak, which was heavier than Jonghyun had expected, around his shoulders. The raven haired male ran his fingers over it, reveling at the soft feel of it. He looked up at Kibum, and gave him a bright smile, his heart singing at just having Kibum being here next to him. It was as if he couldn't wrap his mind around the fact that he was actually by the man he loved so much. At his smile, he heard Kibum suck in a deep breath.

"Have we met before?" He asked, and stood, offering his hand to Jonghyun. The male took it, and tried to stand as well. The merman winced at the cutting pain in his feet, and his legs still shook wildly, but he managed to actually stand up. He looked towards Kibum, and a small smile pulled up at his lips, and he nodded excitedly. Hope lit up Kibum's hazel eyes, and he clasped Jonghyun's hand in his. "I'm Kim Kibum, but my friends call me Key, what's your name?"

"..." Jonghyun tried to tell the brunette his name in return, but it was useless. He ended up tapping his throat with his fingers, trying to signal that he had no voice, and when Kibum– Key– realized this, his expression fell a little bit. "Then you can't be him..." This puzzled the raven, and that was when he realized that if Key was trying to figure out who had saved him, he was looking for someone who could speak. This would make things harder for him, but Jonghyun was still firm in his belief that he could make Key fall in love with him.

Key opened his mouth to say something when a familiar barking sounded, making Jonghyun jump in terror. He pulled away from Key, and moved backwards, his legs giving out beneath him once more, but that didn't stop him from scrambling over to a rock and pulling himself onto it. He peeked over the edge, seeing the hairy creature that still scared him. It was bounding over towards Key, but it's nostrils flared as it caught Jonghyun's scent, and made a series of sharp barks before running over to the rock where he was hiding.

"Shawol! Stop that!" Key's voice said sharply, and the animal stopped, looking over towards Key. It turned away from the merman, and walked back over to Key, sitting at his feet, a strange tail wagging madly. The brunette patted the animal's head, and cast a confused glance towards Jonghyun. "Have you ever seen a dog before?" The hazel eyed male asked, and the raven haired male shook his head, still peeking over the edge of the rock. "Well, why don't you come over and let him? He's actually really sweet when he's not overly excited. I promise that he won't hurt you."

Slowly, Jonghyun got off of the rock, standing slowly. He wobbled for a minute, trying to catch his balance, and then took a step forward. When he didn't fall, he took another, repeating this process until he was standing in front of the dog and brunette. His excitement was palpable, and he looked down at the dog, and bit his lip. He reached out tentatively, and placed the tips of his fingers on the top of the dog's head. His lips formed an O as he felt the soft hair, which was even softer than the cloak on his shoulders.

Another huge grin split his lips as both of his hands began running over the animal all over. He wiggled happily before falling to his knees and wrapping his arms around the animal, hugging it and rubbing the side of his face into the soft hair that covered its entire body. He would be giggling if he could, but instead his body shook with silent laughter, and bright eyes looked up towards Key, who was watching the scene with an amused expression. One that quickly became somber and worried once more.

"How did you get here?" He asked, as if the thought had only just occurred to him. Jonghyun pointed out towards the ocean, and Key's eyes widened, and he looked shocked. "Did your ship crash?" He asked, and Jonghyun realized that he couldn't tell Key that he was actually a merman, so he nodded. The brunette's expression showed his pity, and the raven bit his lip, not wanting to lie to Key, but knowing that for now it would be the best.

"You poor thing," Key whispered, "here, come with me. We'll go get you washed up and get you some clothes. You can stay with me until we can figure out some way to get you home, alright?" The brunette asked, and Jonghyun nodded. He pulled away from the happily panting dog, and stood, grinning to himself when his legs barely shook. Key smirked at him. "Every time you stand, you have this goofy look like you've never done it before... That's adorable." He said, and Jonghyun's cheeks lit in a happy blush, but he grinned at him.

Key reached out and took his hand. "Follow me, and stay close." He said, and began to walk forward. The raven looked out quickly towards where Minho was watching everything, and gave him a small wave before following the brunette. Jonghyun tried to match his steps to Key's, but it was obvious that only the brunette was sure in his steps, and Jonghyun was too distracted by their joined hands. Eventually, he got the hang of walking, and even though his eyes were still firmly fixed on their hands, he was able to keep up with the prince. And even though his feet were in excruciating pain, he couldn't care less; he was finally with Key, and he would withstand any amount of pain if he could stay just like this.

Jonghyun wasn't sure how long they walked, but by the time they reached the huge castle, Jonghyun wanted nothing more than to sit and get off of his feet. They felt weird, like they were wet, but more sticky than anything else. "This is the palace... I mean, I'm the prince, so this is where I live and..." Key trailed off, looking back at Jonghyun, and the raven nodded, mouthing 'I know,' and looked towards the tall doors. Key let go of Jonghyun's hand in order to open the door, and gestured for him to enter.

The raven gave him a thankful smile and entered... And promptly slipped. He managed to catch himself on the edge of the door, wincing as the sharp movement made his tender feet sting even more. "Oh my– why didn't you tell me you were bleeding?" Key gasped, his eyes finally seeing the blood, and he felt sick when he looked back they way that they had just come from and saw a path of bloody footprints. "Stay here, I'll go get the doctor." Key said, and darted off.

Knowing that he had no other choice but to stand there, the raven clung to the doorframe, his whole body trembling. He heard footsteps approaching a minute later, and weary black eyes looked up, expecting to see Key, but was greeted by a taller man, who looked shockingly like the prince. Maybe this was the King, which would make him Key's father. Jonghyun tried to sink into the doorframe, his eyes falling to the ground.

"Who are you?" The man asked. "Any why are you wearing my son's cloak?" So Jonghyun was right. This was Key's father. The raven shrunk lower, knowing that he couldn't speak to answer this man's questions. "Well?" The man asked, and Jonghyun flinched, finally losing his grip on the door. His knees hit the hard floor with a crack, and if he could have cried out, he would have.

"Father!" Key's voice called down the long hallway, and his footsteps were fast. He knelt down next to Jonghyun, his hands a comforting presence. "Are you okay?" He asked, and Jonghyun just glanced up at him. He was exhausted and his knees ached, and his feet were bleeding. But he nodded slowly, trying to soothe Key. The hazel eyed boy nodded, brushing some of Jonghyun's hair out of his face. He then turned to look at his father. "I found him washed up on shore. His ship crashed. I offered for him to stay here until we can figure out where he's from and return him home."

"Well, why didn't he just tell me that himself?" The king asked, not sounding angry, just merely confused. Jonghyun looked at the man, wondering if he was anything like his own father. He seemed rather reasonable, and Jonghyun hoped that he was right. Key was silent for a moment, his hazel eyes looking between his father and the raven haired male.

"He can't talk," the brunette finally told the man, and then gave a small smile towards the older man, "He can stay, though, right?" The man pretended to contemplate it for a moment, then nodded, and Key beamed at him. "Thank you, father. Here, stand up," he said, redirecting his attention towards Jonghyun. "The doctor is here, so lets get you over to that chair so he can look at your feet."

The raven winced as he stretched out his bruised knees, and even more so when he put pressure back on his feet. With Key's help, he quickly made his way to the chair that the prince directed him towards. The doctor came over, and began tending to Jonghyun. But the raven's attention was now focused back on the prince. With the pain finally not clouding as his mind as much, he was able to fully look at the other male.

It pleased Jonghyun that Key seemed to be as beautiful on the inside as he was on the outside. After all, he had given a perfect stranger the cloak off of his back, and had offered him a place to stay. That kind of compassion and kindness was hard to come across, and Jonghyun felt lucky that he was on the receiving end of the man's attentions. Key must have felt him staring, because he turned away from his father and looked at Jonghyun. When their eyes met, the merman felt his pulse spike, and his heart fluttered in his chest. The prince smiled at him, but was distracted when his father began to speak once more.

When the doctor was done, Key returned to Jonghyun's side, and even though Key's hazel eyes were on Jonghyun, the raven didn't miss the way the boy's father looked between them before he walked off. The raven shrugged it off, and focused back on Key, their close proximity filling in that hole in his heart that Key had made him realize he was missing. "So what is your name? Maybe I can give you letters until we spell it out?" The prince suggested, and Jonghyun nodded happily.

It took them a few minutes, but finally Key figured out his name. "Jonghyun? That's your name?" And oh, the way his name sounded on the prince's lips send chills racing up and down his spine, and made him shiver happily. Once again, the raven nodded, wanting nothing more than to hear the other male say it again. He made a repeating motion, and Key raised an eyebrow, but he caught on. "Jonghyun. It's a nice name." He told the raven, who wiggled excitedly.

"So, Jonghyun, my friend, how would you feel about going out to see the town tomorrow?" Key asked, a mischievous smile forming on his lips. And Jonghyun registered two things: Key had referred to him as a friend, and he wanted to spend time with him and take him out tomorrow. And of course, Jonghyun accepted. He wouldn't ever turn down spending time with Key. He finally was with him, and he couldn't imagine anything more perfect.

- Jonghyun and Key: What I Wouldn't Give -

"You're my best friend, I hope you know that, Jonghyun." Kibum said, nearly seven days later. Jonghyun couldn't believe that so many days had already passed, but he supposed that when one is spending time with the one they love, it flies by. But every waking moment of the last few days, they had been together. Key had shown him all of the sights of the town, letting him try all of the strange new food, and even ride a magnificent beast called a horse!

But most of all, they talked. Well, Key talked and Jonghyun listened. The brunette told Jonghyun of how he dreamed about the day he would be king of this country, how he would strive towards his goal of making sure that everyone was happy and treated fairly and equally. But he never failed to have some snarky, witty commentary that would make Jonghyun smile. Key's sharp tongue and wit drew the merman in even more than he thought was possible. He talked about all of his favorite things, his secrets, his views on certain topics, and then, he told Jonghyun about what he remembered after his ship crashed.

"I remember being slammed against the rock and falling unconscious. I thought that I was going to drown. But then I had this dream about strong arms wrapping around me and pulling me to the surface. And then I woke up. It was hazy, but I remember seeing someone, and I remember him promising that he would see me again... After telling me that I was the most handsome man he'd ever seen," Key's cheeks heated up, and he laughed. "Sometimes I wonder if I imagined the whole thing, because no one ever showed up claiming that they saved me..."

Jonghyun hadn't known what to do, the prince was sitting right next to his savior and he didn't even know it, so the raven had pulled the slim brunette to his chest and had hugged him tightly. He secretly hoped that Key would recognize the feel of his arms, but as long as he didn't have his voice, he didn't know that the prince would ever recognize him. So he would just have to make Key fall for this version of him: the one that was mute and who's feet bled after walking for a long time.

After that, Key trusted him implicitly. Whenever the king would bring up marriage and tell his son about all of the proposals from other kingdoms, Key would return to Jonghyun looking as if the weight of the world was on his shoulders. The brunette went on to tell Jonghyun about how he wanted to marry out of love for someone, not just because his father wanted to make social contacts through wedlock. But Jonghyun already knew this, because he remembered hearing nearly the exact same words fall from the prince's lips the first time he had ever heard him speak.

And now here they were, Key was telling him that he was his best friend... And Jonghyun wanted nothing more than to pull the prince to his chest and kiss those lips that had haunted his mind since the first time he had seen Key. But he didn't know if any advances he made towards the brunette would be wanted, and Jonghyun didn't want to ruin what he had with the prince, so he watched, hoping that at some point Key would give him a glance, or drop a hint, that he wanted something more from him.

"I've never really been able to make close friends, I mean, the servants and workers in the castle are great and all, but they're all older than I am. It's nice to have someone my age to talk to," Key continued, grabbing Jonghyun's hand and holding it close to his chest. This was a rather common thing that Key did, the raven had come to discover. The brunette loved physical contact, and whenever he was feeling stressed or super relaxed, he loved to cuddle up to Jonghyun just to be touching someone.

"Do you ever miss your friends from your hometown?" Key asked suddenly, leaning against Jonghyun. The raven nodded. He went down at every sunset to see Minho, but that still didn't soothe the loneliness that he felt from being away from everything he had ever known. But he loved being up on land, loved being able to walk around with Key, and as much as he missed his family and friends, up here by Key's side was where he belonged.

He fiddled with his bracelet, which was showing that he only had thirteen more days to receive a kiss and wed the prince. At this rate, he wondered if he could do that. Not to mention that he still had to compose the song for Taemin. The merman looked down, a dejected sigh falling from his lips. Key looked up, his hazel eyes looking confused. Jonghyun forced a smile, and Key shifted so his head was in the man's lap. The raven ran his fingers through the prince's hair, his black eyes taking in every feature of the younger male.

'God, you're so damn beautiful,' he mouthed, feeling his heart ache with his love for the prince. 'Would you hate me if I kissed you? Would you reciprocate? What would you do, Key?' When his eyes got to Key's hazel ones, he was surprised to see that they were focused on Jonghyun's lips. He swallowed, wondering if Key could read lips. Hazel eyes met his own, and the look in them wasn't one that he hadn't seen before. One of Key's hands reached up, slowly wrapping around the back of Jonghyun's neck, and began to pull himself up.

Their lips were merely a centimeter apart when a knock sounded on Key's door. The prince pulled away abruptly, standing and straightening his clothes as if their moment had never happened. Jonghyun felt the loss keenly, but carefully hid it behind an indifferent mask. His heart was still beating wildly at the fact that he had almost kissed Key. If only it wasn't for the damn person at the door.

"Prince Kibum, your father requests that you meet him in the throne room promptly," the messenger said, bowed at the waist, and left. Key huffed, dragging his hand through his hair just like Jonghyun had done only a minute before. Hazel eyes darted back towards Jonghyun, and then flitted away. The motion made Jonghyun's heart clench, seeing the regret in those beautiful orbs before they were hidden. Key regretted whatever had happened between them.

"Look," Key said after a moment of awkward silence, "I... I don't know... I'll be back after I talk with my father. We can talk then, alright?" Key said, deciding that whatever he was going to say before could wait, and left the room. Jonghyun remained on the prince's bed, his mind replaying small details from their almost kiss. He had a good feeling he knew what Key would say when he returned. The brunette wasn't sure how he felt about Jonghyun, but the merman knew that there was something there, because otherwise the almost kiss wouldn't have happened.

So he sat patiently until Key returned, which ended up not being for a few hours. At this point, Jonghyun was pacing the room, wondering where the prince could be. When the clock began chiming midnight, five hours after the brunette's rushed departure, Jonghyun gave up waiting for the prince to return, and left the room. And then he heard laughing, and he instantly recognized that laugh, and a smile split his lips as he walked towards where the sound was coming from. However, when he turned the corner, what he saw wasn't anything like what he had been expecting.

There, laughing and in the arms of another man, was his prince. His beautiful, thoughtful, perfect Key was being held against the random man's chest, his whole body shaking with the force of his giggles. Jonghyun stood there for a moment, hurt and shock making him numb, and then a sorrow, so sharp in its intensity that it pierced him to his core, ripped through his heart. Warmth welled up in his eyes and dripped down his cheeks, and Jonghyun lightly touched a finger to the small droplets of water. And then, with the strange droplets falling from his eyes, he his heel, and ran down the hallway and out of the castle.

His feet carried him all the way to the beach, and for the first time, Jonghyun didn't even register the pain that spiked up his legs. His heart hurt so much that his entire body felt like it was breaking. And on the outer edges of his breaking heart, his emotions were tinged with bitter betrayal and rage. He felt betrayed because if Key was in love with someone, or seeing someone, the raven thought that they were close enough for Key to tell him. And then his rage towards the mystery man. How dare he hold Key to his chest like they were long time friends? He had no right to waltz into the castle and make Key laugh like that.

"Key," he whispered, his chest heaving and his body trembling, "Damn it, why? Why didn't you tell me?" He yelled into the sky. The small droplets from his eyes began to fall even faster, and he choked on the emotions that seemed to cloud his senses. Never before had he felt such strong and turbulent feelings, and he collapsed onto the sand, not knowing how to handle all of these conflicting emotions. He just wanted to curl up and sob.

But a splash alerted him that he wasn't alone. Puffy red eyes, his black iris standing out, looked towards the ocean, where he saw the familiar fin of Minho. A sharp sting of guilt went through him as he realized that he hadn't come down to see his friend that day, too worried about where Key was. That just went to show how much his priorities had changed, and it bothered him that he was so caught up in loving Key that he had begun to push away the one other soul that supported him completely and without the expectancy that he was going to fail.

A moment later, his friend of many years was holding the raven to his chest, comforting him the best way he could. Jonghyun clung to his friend, his sobs quieting down, until eventually they stopped completely. Minho tightened his grip when Jonghyun tried to pull away, and when red rimmed eyes looked up towards the brunette, who's expression was dark and tinged with anger. "What happened?" Minho asked, looking back down at his friend. "And you can speak to me, Tae– Taemin, I mean, said so. He sensed that something was wrong, and said that around merfolk, you can have your voice."

Jonghyun blinked at Minho, noticing the familiarity in the brunette's tone when referring to the Sea Witch. After a moment, the raven recognized the way the words were said, and he grinned at his friend. He couldn't say that he wasn't shocked, but he had seen the attraction between the two when they had met, and he supposed that with Minho spending so much time with Taemin it would allow him to become closer to the Witch. Now, he wondered how long it would be before Minho told the honey haired male that he liked– if not loved– him.

"Key," Jonghyun whispered, snapping out of his thoughts in order to answer his dark haired friend, "he never told me that... That he was interested in someone..." He finished quietly. "I... Heard him laughing, so I went to see him. I mean, we needed to talk, after our almost kiss. But he was in the arms of another man laughing in a way that he's only ever done with me... It hurts..." The raven whimpered, feeling the burn behind his eyes once more. "I feel so stupid... I thought that Key would tell me if he... If he..." Sobs choked him, and the droplets of water began dripping down his cheeks once more.

Minho didn't say anything after that, merely holding his best friend to his chest, hoping that his presence was comfort enough. And for Jonghyun, it was. Just being able to let out his emotions in the form of the small droplets, knowing that Minho was there for him, was enough. It was only when Jonghyun fell asleep that Minho looked back out towards the water, where he was able to easily see the familiar light brown hair of Taemin. The brunette nodded, and Taemin swam forward, wary of the beach, even though he knew that he had been born on land.

"I'm scared, Tae," Minho said quietly, his dark brown eyes confirming the statement, "he said that Key, Kibum, was interested in someone else... What if he... What if Kibum marries this other person?" He clutched his sleeping friend tighter, only loosening his grip when the raven squirmed uncomfortably. "I can't lose my best friend..." He whispered. After a minute, he laid Jonghyun on the sand, and moved closer to the Sea Witch.

- Jonghyun and Key: What I Wouldn't Give -  
*Taemin POV*

As the two mermen swam away, Taemin shook his head. How stupid Jonghyun was, after all, the human race was fickle and judgmental. But then again, maybe it was emotions that made merfolk act stupid. Taemin wouldn't know, because he had been raised to be without emotion. Feelings interfered with thinking clearly, and in order to make potions correctly, he had to have crystal clear thoughts. The light haired male did wonder what having those emotions would be like, however.

Perhaps it was the human part of him. He wanted to know what it felt like to want to be with someone so much that one would sacrifice everything. He wanted to know why heartbreak was described as a crippling pain. But, alone in his solitude, Taemin knew that he would never discover how those emotions worked. The Sea Witch managed to convince himself that he was content with not knowing what 'love' or 'anger' or 'sadness' were.

Until the emotional hurricane that was Minho barreled into his life and destroyed everything that the previous Sea Witch had ever taught him. When Minho was with him, he began to feel things, and at first, he didn't understand what was happening. When the darker haired brunette wouldn't stop bothering him one day, a surge of something rose in his chest, and he had felt a strong urge to smack the other merman across the face. It was only later, when his hands were still shaking from the surge of that feeling that he realized it was annoyance.

And it didn't help that Minho was like a beacon of light. Everyone that he met couldn't help but be drawn to him, and it turned out that Taemin was no exception. When Taemin was around the dark eyed male, he witnessed a whole range of emotions that he had only ever heard about. The honey haired brunette was present to see how deeply the merman cared from Jonghyun, saw how deep his love for his family ran, and experienced first hand how amused Minho got when annoying him while he was trying to mix potions. Minho's soul burned bright like a fire, and Taemin wondered if someday, someone would tame the charismatic man.

The more Minho was around, he brought out Taemin's deeply buried feelings, and the older male broke down the carefully built barriers that the Sea Witch had always been told were crucial to his survival. But somehow, when Minho was with him, he felt like he was safe to take that leap and let the brunette in. That was how the dark haired merman discovered that Taemin was lonely and as much as he complained about Minho constantly disrupting him to check on Jonghyun, he actually trusted the male enough that he enjoyed his company.

And when Minho gave him those glances, the glances that Taemin felt as if they were filled with heat and want, Taemin wanted to fall into his arms and let the older merman have his way with him. But, since he was new to these feelings, the Sea Witch wondered if he was reading into things too far. His predecessor was right: emotions clouded clear thinking. But when Minho was close to him, brushing against his arm, Taemin decided that maybe it was a good trade off.

And somehow, when Taemin tagged along to check on Jonghyun in person, and saw how much Minho cared for his friend, that final emotional block broke, and the Sea Witch realized how deeply he cared for the dark haired merman. It made his heart hurt to see the pure fear that shone in deep brown eyes at the thought of losing Jonghyun. That was also the same moment that Taemin realized that if he wanted to ever have a chance with Minho, he would have to make sure that Jonghyun lived, even if he didn't meet the requirements of the spell.

And now here he was, at the breaking point. He could either let the nature of the spell take its course and inevitably kill Jonghyun and lose Minho forever, or he could do everything in his power to save the raven haired male. And yet another new emotion assaulted Taemin's mind: selfishness. He could care less about Jonghyun, but because he knew how much Minho cared about him, Taemin would do just about anything to keep that excitable grin on the dark haired brunette's face.

Taemin's light brown eyes, which weren't as cold and blank as before, looked up at Minho, his expression unreadable. His small hands reached up, and rested lightly on the older merman's cheeks, and slowly, Taemin leaned up, placing the lightest of kisses on Minho's lips. When he pulled back, his eyes flashed red, and the Sea Witch did something that neither he nor his predecessor had ever done before. "I promise you, Minho, I will not let your friend turn to sea foam if he doesn't make Key fall in love with him."

Taemin felt his heart race, and he bit his lip and looked away, not sure how Minho would react to the kiss and the promise. He understood that Minho didn't understand that he just didn't feel things like other people, but he hoped that the brunette would realize how monumental this moment was for the Sea Witch. Minho's warm brown eyes, shining with his growing affection for the Sea Witch, cupped his face and kissed him once more. A whispered 'thank you' against Taemin's lips had the honey haired brunette's heart fluttering in his chest.

The long haired brunette wasn't sure what would happen between them, but he secretly hoped that something would grow between them, and maybe, just maybe, they would become something that would last forever. But for now, Minho's attention was on the sleeping male, and as much as Taemin understood that they were only close friends, he couldn't help but be unsettled by the close proximity in which Minho insisted in staying in relation to Jonghyun. But maybe that was just his newfound jealousy rearing its ugly head.

And when Jonghyun woke on the sunrise of his eighth day to see Taemin, dark brown eyes flitted nervously to his wrist, as if confirming that he hadn't suddenly run out of time. Reaffirmed in his knowledge that he still had twelve days left, Jonghyun looked towards the Sea Witch, and Taemin could feel his curiosity. Minho had left a half hour ago to get something for them to eat, and so Taemin was left babysitting the raven haired merman.

But he supposed that for this one time, he didn't mind. It gave him time to figure out how to reverse the payment spell without taking away Jonghyun's legs. The only possibility so far would only let Jonghyun become a merman again, and Taemin had a feeling that the raven would be miserable if he went back to Atlantica. But if that was what it took to keep him alive and keep the smile on Minho's face, then so be it. Taemin's brow furrowed as a small detail made itself known in the back of his mind, and he would remember to look it up later to make sure that he was recalling the right spell.

And if worse came to worse, and the spell's requirement was what he thought it was, it wouldn't even be Taemin's decision about what fate Jonghyun would end up with. The light haired brunette send a glance towards the silent merman, and some part of him, the newer part that felt emotions, hoped that everything would work out for the best. But the colder, more realistic part of his mind, the part that had ruled over him for almost his entire life, knew that there couldn't be a perfectly happy ending.

- Jonghyun and Key: What I Wouldn't Give -

Jonghyun found it odd to wake up in the sand, and very uncomfortable. But what struck him as even more odd was seeing Taemin watching over him, rather than Minho. His eyes darted down to his wrist, and he was relieved to see that he still had twelve days. To say that he was curious as to why Taemin was there was an understatement, but when Minho appeared a few minutes later with fish, and the raven haired male saw the cold shine in Taemin's eyes fade away, he understood. It was the same affectionate look the Minho had in his own dark brown eyes when referring to the Sea Witch.

So he smiled for his friend, and a strange hope bloomed in his chest. If the charismatic Minho could win over the cold hearted Sea Witch, why couldn't Jonghyun do the same with Key, who already seemed to have some sort of attraction to him? He ate with them, describing how humans called raw fish sushi, which made all of them crack up. Well, Minho and Jonghyun cracked up, Taemin just kind of laughed awkwardly, as if he wasn't used to it yet.

After bidding his friend and Taemin goodbye, he began to make his way back towards the castle, dread sinking like a stone in his stomach. How would he face Key after seeing what he had yesterday? The raven haired male stood outside of the castle doors, his hands shaking. He didn't know if he could handle seeing Key smiling and laughing in the arms of another man. Slowly, Jonghyun opened the door, and entered. No one was there to greet him, and he let out a happy sigh of relief. The merman made his way to his room, but before he could slip into his room, he heard an all too familiar voice calling his name.

He turned slowly, his eyes falling to the floor. Key stopped in front of Jonghyun, his breathing heavy. "Where have you been?" Key demanded, and the raven haired male looked up, his eyes sad, and was shocked to see that the brunette's hair was messy rather than perfectly styled like usual. And the prince looked exhausted. Jonghyun placed his hands on Key's cheeks, his worried eyes meeting tired hazel ones. "I couldn't find you..." And it hurt that Key was so worried about him, but he felt a sense of joy, because that meant that the brunette actually cared enough to he this upset.

"Onew and I looked everywhere!" Key continued, and Jonghyun tilted his head at the unfamiliar name. But within minutes, the raven haired male knew all about Onew. He was Key's childhood friend, and he was the heir to the next kingdom over. His favorite food was chicken, and he was an amazing singer. Onew was also the man that Jonghyun had seen holding the prince to his chest. And then Key delivered the harshest blow yet.

"My father and his father arranged for us to be married, well, if I accept the proposal, that is." Key said, but unlike all of the other times that the king had proposed marriages to his son, the prince didn't look as upset. "Onew's not that bad, and I'm sure I can learn to love him. He's funny, sweet, and thoughtful, and he serenaded me yesterday," Key dreamily sighed. Jonghyun just stared at the prince, his heart breaking with each word that fell from the prince's lips. He didn't want to hear about how amazing this Onew person was. He wanted to he the person that Key was so fondly speaking of! But he smiled, because that was what Key would expect from him as a best friend.

But for the next six days, that was all Jonghyun would hear from Key. Onew this and Onew that, and if Key wasn't making a bit of spare time for Jonghyun, he was always with the other prince. Jonghyun refused to even meet this other man, much to Key's confusion and annoyance. The prince would get so upset at Jonghyun's refusal that he would storm out of the room.

So whenever Key left, Jonghyun went to the piano room. He couldn't bear to sit and wait for Key to come back and forgive him, not after returning from a day out with Onew and then face his excitement to tell him all about it. It hurt too much, and although Jonghyun had thought that he was strong, nothing had ever prepared him for this. He ran his fingers over the ivory white keys, his dark eyes sad.

It had started on the second day after Onew had come into the picture. Jonghyun had wandered around the castle, feeling like he was drifting without a purpose. He absentmindedly played with the beads on his bracelet, and that was when he recalled, through the fog that clouded his mind, the last part of his deal. He had to compose a song that would make the angels weep. So he had found the piano room. And although he hadn't known how to play the large instrument, he had quickly picked up on it, and was now halfway done with the song. But as he read through it, he saw that as happy and loving as it sounded, the undertone of his breaking heart was there.

So now, he was focusing on finishing the song. After all, with how things were going between himself and the prince, he would be sea foam within six more days. But it wasn't like he had given up. Every time he saw Key, he would try to make his affections known, but then the prince would bring up something that Onew had done, and as much as Jonghyun was coming to loathe the man, he couldn't fault him for making Key so happy. So no, he hadn't given up, but he had a feeling that he couldn't ever compete with Key's childhood friend.

_"What would I do without your smart mouth__  
__Drawing me in and you kicking me out__  
__You got my head spinning__  
__No kidding__  
__I can't pin you down,"_

He wished he could though. His deepest wish was to have Key by his side for the rest of his life. But that wouldn't ever be possible. No one could keep Key; only the prince could choose who he wanted to stay with. Key was too smart to let someone chain him down. And that just made Jonghyun love him more, made him want to be better so that maybe Key would realize just who was right in front of him. Maybe then he would realize that it was Jonghyun who loved him the most.

_"What's going on in that beautiful mind__  
__I'm on your magical mystery ride__  
__And I'm so dizzy__  
__Don't know what hit me__  
__But I'll be alright___

_My head is underwater__  
__But I'm breathing fine__  
__You're crazy and I'm out of my mind"_

He had sacrificed everything to be with the prince, and even though now Key was gravitating towards Onew, Jonghyun couldn't bring himself to regret even a moment. Maybe Minho would tell this story to his children, tell them the tale of the merman who loved a prince so much that he gave up his life underwater just to spend twenty days with him. The lump in his throat grew, and he didn't even realize as the first droplet of salty water dripped down his cheek.

_"Cause all of me loves all of you__  
__Love your curves and all your edges__  
__All your perfect imperfections__  
__Give your all to me, I'll give my all to you__  
__You're my end and my beginning__  
__Even when I lose I'm winning__  
__Cause I give you a-a-a-all of me__  
__And you give me a-a-a-all of you___

_All..."_

And Key did have all of Jonghyun. The prince had his heart, his love, his attention, his everything. Sure, he didn't know that, but that didn't change the fact that it was true. And that was Jonghyun's legacy. The stupid, love struck merman who gave his everything away to the person he loved. A smile, tinged with sadness, graced his lips, and another droplet fell. Key didn't know how deeply Jonghyun loved him, and the raven haired male only wished that he could express it to the prince before his time was up.

_"How many times do I have to tell you__  
__Even when you're crying you're beautiful too__  
__the world is beating you down__  
__I'm around through every mood___

_You're my downfall__  
__You're my muse__  
__My worst distraction__  
__My rhythm and blues,"_

His voice choked up, and the wetness on his face left visible streaks. How could a love this deep hurt this much? Jonghyun took deep breaths, his mind vividly replaying each and every moment that he had spent with Key. Why couldn't he just see how much Jonghyun cared about him? Had he not expressed it blatantly enough? Jonghyun's body shook, and he could taste the salt from the droplets on his lips. It hurt. It was a piercing agony that tore through his chest and sent pain through his whole body.

"I love you," he sobbed, his hands wiping away the wetness. "I love you so damn much that it hurts, Key. Why can't you see that?" He confessed aloud, his voice raspy. He stood abruptly, and left the room. He could finish the song another day, but for now, he wanted to go back down to the beach, where he felt most at peace. It felt stifling in the room, and for just a little while, Jonghyun needed to be by the ocean. Even though he would be alone, for once, that was all he wanted.

He sat alone on the beach for hours, until just before sunset. Then, with a heavy sigh, he stood to return to the castle. He couldn't bear to see Minho right now. Not with his gut feeling that he would turn into sea foam in just a few days... As he passed by the town, he heard joyous voices, and when he glanced over, he saw that the humans were having a celebration of some sort.

A smile tugged at his lips, and he felt the urge to go dance with them. He wanted to lose himself in the lyrical music that echoed throughout the entire town. And so he did. Jonghyun threw himself into the dancing crowd, and let the beat of the music reverberate through him. His eyes drifted shut as he moved with the strangers, and he let all of the weight on his shoulders go, feeling lighter, as if a physical burden had actually been removed. He swayed and twirled and moved when he felt like it, the music cutting all of his ties to the real world.

Jonghyun imagined that Key was there dancing with him. In his fantasy, Key's eyes were full of love and laughter, and all of his looks were directed towards the raven. They would slow dance, and in the light of the rising moon, Jonghyun would lean in and steal a kiss from those lips that he craved so dearly, and then mouth the words that he was in love with the prince against his skin. Key would blush and look away, but after a minute, he would return the sentiment. And then they would spend their lives together. It was what he imagined a perfect life would be like.

"Jonghyun?" Key sounded delighted, a bit startled, but happy none the less. Slowly, hesitant to let go of the vivid imagery in his mind, Jonghyun opened his eyes, shocked to see the man of his dreams standing only a few feet away. A smile began to form on his lips, but when he saw that Key was holding hands with the man behind him, Onew, his mind whispered traitorously, it faltered, and eventually dropped away completely. Distraught black eyes looked back to Key, who was biting his lip. "I didn't know if you were going to come," he whispered, and Jonghyun's confusion must have shown on his face. "I knocked on the door to your room... I was going to invite you, but you wouldn't answer... Were you even in there?"

Jonghyun shook his head, and Key's perfect lips formed a small O. "No wonder... So that means that you don't know yet..." He began to chew on his lower lip even harder. A sick feeling began to form in his gut when he saw the look that Onew and Key shared. The love in Key's eyes was directed towards the other prince, and Jonghyun felt his heart break even more. He instinctively knew that whatever Key was going to tell him was going to break him completely.

"Well, you know how my father proposed marriage with Onew, right?" Jonghyun nodded, feeling the lump in his throat grow. Neither of the princes seemed to notice the broken expression that was on Jonghyun's face as they smiled at each other. Key's eyes didn't leave Onew's face as he spoke the next sentence. "I've accepted the proposal. We're going to be married in a few days."

And that was the final blow that Jonghyun could bear. But he wouldn't lose his composure. Not here. He wouldn't ruin Key's excitement by showing his inner agony. So when Key looked back over at him, he had a smile on his face. He missed the slight flicker of surprise and hurt that crossed Key's face, but then the light haired brunette beamed. "We were wondering if... If maybe you would be my best man?" He asked softy.

Jonghyun nodded, still smiling, even though it was a physical pain. No, this was even worse. Knowing that Key was getting married to someone else was a dagger piercing his heart and twisting. Having Key want him as his best man ripped his mangled heart out of his chest and threw it on the ground. His lip quivered, a warning sign that the wetness gathering in his eyes was going to fall. Key smiled profusely and ran over and hugged the raven. Slowly, Jonghyun returned the embrace, holding Key close to him for one of the last times. He memorized every line of the prince's body, and buried his face into Key's shoulder, inhaling the scent that was uniquely the prince.

When he pulled away, he averted his eyes, and once again missed the longing look in Key's eyes. "Well, we have to go talk to the other people," Key said, a slight hint of awkwardness in his tone. Jonghyun kept his fake smile plastered on his face, but once Key and Onew disappeared into the crowd, it shattered. His expression crumpled, and he moved towards an empty alleyway before he sank to his knees. He simply couldn't bear the pain; he didn't know how to.

It was such a deep agony that he couldn't even let the little droplets fall, it was like an empty void had consumed his body, and every part of him felt numb and cold. Dark brown eyes turned to look at his feet, and his expression shifted only the tiniest bit. For just a split second, he felt guilty that he had run away from home, but it was quickly pushed away with his selfishness. He had spent all the time he had been gone with Key, and he wouldn't have it any other way. Even though the pain was ripping him apart from the inside out.

He wasn't sure how long he sat there, unable to shed the salt water in his eyes, and feeling like he was suffocating on all of the tremulous emotions that were building in his chest. But when he looked towards the sky, it was turning orange... He had sat there the entire night. Jonghyun swallowed as he realized that he only had five more days to be by Key's side. Five more days to experience everything that the human world had to offer. And he only had five more days to live.

- Jonghyun and Key: What I Wouldn't Give -

The five days passed faster than Jonghyun would have liked. Everyone, including himself, was swept away by planning Key and Onew's wedding. And every time Jonghyun saw them together, he plastered the fake smile on his lips and pretended like he wasn't crippled by the pain of his shattered heart. But every time he saw Key's joyful smile, Jonghyun could begrudge the other male for putting it there. No matter how much he wanted to hate Onew, despise him and throw him out of the picture and have his own happy ending with Key, he couldn't, because he could never truly hate someone who made the prince that happy.

But Jonghyun's final day had come, and ironically enough, at sunset was when Key and Onew would tie the knot and finalize their future. And the next morning, Key would wake up and his friend would be gone, and he would never know what had become of the dark eyed male who couldn't speak. As of that moment, Key was putting on his white suit, and he was painfully handsome. Every moment or so, he would cast a backwards glance towards the raven, who was already dressed and was tending to Key's shoes, making sure that they were polished to a perfect shine.

When he was fully dressed, Key came over and sat down next to Jonghyun, putting a hand on his shoulder. His warm hazel eyes were worried and there was some other emotion that Jonghyun couldn't recognize in them as well. "Are you alright?" Key asked, his eyes staying on the raven haired male's own. "You've seemed... Sad the last few days." He was unsure of his wording, and Jonghyun could only give him a small smile. His fate was weighing heavily on his mind, but he still didn't want Key to worry. Not right before the ceremony.

His own hand covered Key's, and he forced his smile to widen just a little bit. Key looked unconvinced, but when Jonghyun reached out with his free hand and gently caressed Key's cheek, the brunette's expression became pained, and Jonghyun's eyes flared open in alarm. He flailed his arms a bit, and through his pained look, Key barked out a short laugh. It wasn't like his usual melodic laugh, and it sounded wrong falling from Key's lips.

"You're lying... Ever since Onew and I became reacquainted, you've been distant... I miss having my best friend... And..." The hazel eyed male bit his lip, and his eyes darted to the side. "I thought that there was something more between us... I mean, we almost kissed... Was I wrong? I mean, was I wrong to think that there was a spark between us? I thought... That maybe we could fall in love..." His words came out slowly and hesitantly. Jonghyun felt his heart falter, and his lips tilted downwards as his hands came up to cover his face.

The burning in his eyes grew, but he forced the liquid emotion back. He wouldn't be selfish. And it would be extremely selfish to tell Key that he loved him right before he married another man. He knew that Key cared deeply about Onew, maybe even loved him, and as much as he wanted to take the man's place, it was too late. So he shook his head, dispelling whatever thoughts that could be going through Key's mind. Jonghyun uncovered his face, and forced another small smile on his lips, before he placed the lightest of kisses on Key's cheek. Key would be better off believing that Jonghyun only thought of him as a friend, or else he would marry Onew with regret in his heart.

And if Jonghyun could prevent that, he would. He decided then and there that he would dedicate the last hours of his life making sure that Key was happy and when he married Onew, Jonghyun would be at his side, smiling as brightly as he could. He would be Key's best friend until his dying breath. That was his fate, and even though a small part of himself wished that he could have gotten more out of his short life, he was content that he had spent the last days of his life by the side of the man he loved.

Key stared at him for a moment once he had pulled back, and then a sort of resigned look showed on his face, and he smiled. "Best friends?" He asked softly, and Jonghyun nodded, his unheard 'always' on his lips. The hazel eyed male smiled, and then a bashful expression replaced the earlier look. "Good... It would suck if you weren't around. Now, shall we go?" He missed the way Jonghyun's expression faltered for a moment as he offered his hand to the raven. But as soon as the raven was sure his look was perfectly neutral and happy, he hook his arm through the prince's, and they slowly made their way to the church on the other end of town.

The ceremony would be held in the church, and the reception would be on a boat that would leave immediately after. Jonghyun thought that it was fitting, considering that at sunrise, he would turn into sea foam. As they approached the building that would seal his fate, the raven haired male heard music, and it was both the most beautiful and the most heartbreaking melody that he had ever heard. It was agonizingly bittersweet. At the doors, Key stopped, his hazel eyes traveling up and down the entire length of the wood.

"I don't know if I'm ready for this... I mean, I'm ready to marry Onew, I just... It's all so overwhelming." He let out a soft, nervous laugh. He unlinked his arm from Jonghyun, and the turned to him an opened his arms. "Can I have a hug?" Once again, he was biting his lip in the most adorable way, and Jonghyun nodded, pulling the brunette to his chest. 'For the last time,' his mind whispered quietly.

The brief flash of thought had him squeezing the prince tighter to him, and he buried his face into Key's neck, taking in his soft scent, the same way he had when Key had first told him that he had accepted the proposal from Onew. He wanted to memorize it to his memory, sear Key's very being into his soul. Not for the first time, he wished that he could spend the rest of eternity with Key, but he had to once again remind himself that he at least got to spend the rest of his life, no matter how brief it ended up being, by the prince's side. He smiled into Key's skin, not missing the irony of the entire situation. How cruel fate was: making Jonghyun fall madly in love with Key only to rip him away and on the last day of the raven haired male's short life, make him watch as his true love promised his life to another man.

Once they entered the building, everything seemed to fly by, and before Jonghyun knew it, Key and Onew were kissing, sealing not only their fate, but unknowingly sealing Jonghyun's as well. Congratulations were shouted, and the new couple went from person to person. When they finally made their way to Jonghyun, the raven was drinking champagne, as the waiter had called it. His head was feeling a tad lighter than usual, and it made smiling at Key and the other man easier.

He gestured with his glass between the two, his silent congratulations clearly being showed through the action. Key smiled, a bit smaller and not as brightly as usual, but Jonghyun didn't notice. Onew accepted it with a grace that could only be described as princely, and Jonghyun silently wished the two luck and a happy life.

Then it was off towards the boat. A whole band had been brought along, and their cheery music played long into the night. But when a majority of the people had gone off to sleep, they had also left, and eventually Jonghyun was the only one left on the deck. While everyone slumbered and had peaceful dreams, the raven was standing alone, counting the seconds until the sunrise would wipe him off of this earth. The light headed feeling had long since worn off, leaving the raven haired male to brood over his inevitable end as he leaned against the rail. He had decided that everything had been worth it, and was simply awaiting the promise that sunrise would fulfill.

"Jonghyun." He startled at the unexpected voice, black eyes darted down to the water, shocked and confused to see Taemin in the water. "Look, I know that tonight was supposed to be your last, but I promised Minho that I wouldn't let you die if Kibum wed someone else. So I have a different deal for you." His voice was hypnotic, and Jonghyun couldn't help but to listen.

"Take this dagger," Taemin threw it up, and the raven haired male caught it. As soon as his hand wrapped around the hilt, his mind clouded. He felt as if he wasn't in control of his body anymore. "If you slay Kibum while he sleeps and let his blood fall on your feet, you will turn back into a merman, and live out the rest of your life as you would have had you never made the first deal."

The fog in his mind grew, and without another word, Jonghyun turned and made his way towards Key's room. Outside of the door, his mind cleared a little bit, leaving behind a sharp throbbing in his head. What was he doing again? His hand reached out, and the door opened silently, revealing a sleeping Key in the arms of his new husband. Jonghyun's heart throbbed painfully, and even more of the fog cleared.

It was only when he was standing above Key, dagger raised above his head and ready to strike, that the rest of the fog cleared, and he realized what he was doing. A strangled sound left his lips, and he dropped the dagger in horror, the loud sound it made making Jonghyun flinch. What was he doing? Key made a soft sound, and rolled out of Onew's arms, rubbing his eyes.

Jonghyun fled the room, horror and anger warring in his eyes. When he reached the rail of the boat, Taemin was in plain sight, and the raven haired male's anger exploded violently. "Y-you!" He couldn't even get the words out. "You tried to MIND CONTROL ME! You almost made me kill Key!" His hands gripped the rail, his knuckles turning white from the sheer force of his grip.

"And you threw the chance to live out your life away!" Taemin replied, his eyes narrowed. "Why would you do that?" Jonghyun was quiet for a moment, and then, in front of Taemin's cold eyes, the breakdown that had been building ever since Onew had returned to Key's life finally overwhelmed Jonghyun's carefully built barrier. The raven sunk to his knees, shaking as the wetness burned his eyes and poured down his cheeks.

"Why would I choose to live?" He shouted, sorrow and agony lacing his tone, his voice rough. "I have nothing, nothing at all, to live for! I gave up everything, my family, my life in the sea, my heart," he took in a huge breath, "I gave everything up to be with Key! But he gave his everything to someone else. I love him with my entire being, but now that he's with Onew, I have nothing. And the saddest part?" He scoffed, clenching his eyes shut. "I don't even care that I gave everything away for him. I'm just glad that I got to be with him for the short time I did. I want nothing more than for him to be happy and live out his life, even though I can't be the one giving that to him. As long as he's alive and well, I can die... Maybe not happy, but content. And I know that Onew will make him happy, I know that he will give Key everything that he wants. So I have nothing to live for." He paused his tirade.

"I can't... I wasn't what Key wanted, in the end. I wouldn't be selfish and tell him that it was me that saved him, not when he was so clearly falling in love with someone else. It would have been wrong, and besides, it wouldn't have changed anything." He let out a dry, humorless laugh. "But he'll be happy, even without me here. I mean, I'm sure that he'll always wonder who rescued him, and I wish that I could have told him that is was me." His eyes acquired a distant look in them, and his sadness melted into a fond, sorrow laced smile. "He was, and is, the most handsome man that I've ever seen... And I did keep my promise... I came back to him... Even though he never realized it. I love him with every last, little, broken piece of my heart..." He trailed off, his sobs shaking his shoulders.

Taemin was silent, his eyes wide with shock after Jonghyun's long winded speech. It may not have been perfectly organized, and the raven may not have made total sense, but Taemin understood what he was trying to get across. The raven haired male looked up, his eyes red rimmed and filled with a shattered look that was hidden behind a blank stare. "I'm ready to die," he whispered, but it was loud enough for Taemin to hear him.

The Sea Witch was quiet for a moment before he ran his hand through his honey brown hair. "As you wish," he conceded. "But, I am curious, did you finish the song?" He swam just a tiny bit closer to the ship. The raven haired male nodded, and Taemin's expression shifted almost imperceptibly. "May I hear it? I'm very... Interested to hear what you thought up." Jonghyun didn't notice the way that Taemin's eyes flickered to look beyond him, or the way the Sea Witch's expression became a few degrees colder.

Jonghyun paused for the briefest of moments, and then nodded. As to why Taemin wanted to hear his song, he wasn't sure, but he was past the point of caring now. He was ready to surrender to the nothingness that his death would bring him. He was ready to cease to exist. He swung his leg over the rail, and then shifted so that he could sit with his legs dangling over the edge. A brief look at the horizon showed the beginnings of dawn's rays, and a defeated but accepting sigh fell from his lips. And then he began to sing his final song.

_"What would I do without your smart mouth?__  
__Drawing me in, and you kicking me out__  
__You've got my head spinning, no kidding, I can't pin you down___

_What's going on in that beautiful mind__  
__I'm on your magical mystery ride__  
__And I'm so dizzy, don't know what hit me, but I'll be alright___

_"My head's under water__  
__But I'm breathing fine__  
__You're crazy and I'm out of my mind___

_"'Cause all of me__  
__Loves all of you__  
__Love your curves and all your edges__  
__All your perfect imperfections__  
__Give your all to me__  
__I'll give my all to you__  
__You're my end and my beginning__  
__Even when I lose I'm winning__  
__'Cause I give you all of me__  
__And you give me all of you, oh___

_"How many times do I have to tell you__  
__Even when you're crying you're beautiful too__  
__The world is beating you down, I'm around through every mood___

_You're my downfall, you're my muse__  
__My worst distraction, my rhythm and blues__  
__I can't stop singing, it's ringing, in my head for you___

_"My head's under water__  
__But I'm breathing fine__  
__You're crazy and I'm out of my mind___

_"'Cause all of me__  
__Loves all of you__  
__Love your curves and all your edges__  
__All your perfect imperfections__  
__Give your all to me__  
__I'll give my all to you__  
__You're my end and my beginning__  
__Even when I lose I'm winning__  
__'Cause I give you all of me__  
__And you give me all of you, oh___

_"Give me all of you__  
__Cards on the table, we're both showing hearts__  
__Risking it all, though it's hard___

_"'Cause all of me__  
__Loves all of you__  
__Love your curves and all your edges__  
__All your perfect imperfections__  
__Give your all to me__  
__I'll give my all to you__  
__You're my end and my beginning__  
__Even when I lose I'm winning__  
__'Cause I give you all of me__  
__And you give me all of you___

_"I give you all of me__  
__And you give me all of you, oh..."_

His voice was filled with a haunted type of melody that had goose bumps crawling up his arms, but he felt a release at pouring his entire being into the song. And when he looked down at Taemin, the wetness that he had often experienced was dripping down the Sea Witch's face. The honey haired brunette stared at him in a shocked sort of awe, and Jonghyun gave him only the tiniest of smiles before he pushed himself off of the rail and fell into the water, feeling it surround his body and drag him down into its deepest abyss.

"Goodbye, Kibum..."

- Jonghyun and Key: What I Wouldn't Give -  
*Key P.O.V*

In his dream, he felt the strong arms wrap around his body, he felt the broad and strong chest warm behind his back, and most of all, he felt the safety that just being with the person brought him. The rich baritone voice still sent chills racing up and down his spine, and he felt his heart ache with love for the faceless man. The man who had whispered the sweetest of words to him only to disappear into thin air was an apparition in his dreams, confusing him even more than he already was.

His dreams reminded him of the day to day confusion that he felt. Instead of being securely wrapped in the faceless man's embrace, he was suddenly facing both Onew and Jonghyun. One of them he loved dearly, as a close friend and possibly a love interest, the other made his passions arise in a way that he had never felt, and most of the time, Key hid how he felt when around him. He only hoped that someday, he could love Onew as much as he loved Jonghyun.

The raven had entrapped him from the first day that they had met, and every day since then had caused Key to fall even deeper in love with the raven, even though he was mute. But his feelings had developed so fast that he didn't know how to handle them, and when they had almost kissed, his heart had been beating wildly in his chest. But then his father had summoned him and had delivered the news that a prince from a neighboring kingdom had a marriage proposal. And like so many others, Key brushed it off, rejecting it without even hearing who the prince was. The only person he wanted was Jonghyun.

And that was when Onew had shown up. Early memories of playing on the beach had resurfaced in his mind, and joy at seeing his old friend had overwhelmed him. They went out to the town to catch up, and in the main plaza, Onew had said that he was the one who sent the proposal and proceeded to serenade Key with a lovely song. It had been amazing, and it was something that Key had always dreamed about happening to him, but halfway through the song, his mind replaced Onew with Jonghyun. His joyous expression faltered momentarily before fixing itself immediately. It was unfair to Onew for Key to be thinking of someone else when the chicken loving male was so obviously trying to court him.

From that night, things began to progress between himself and Onew. It was nice, and it was everything that Key had always wanted in a courtship, but his heart wasn't in it, and he felt as if he was just going through the motions. Ever since he had told the raven haired male, his gorgeous and mysterious guest, that he thought he could fall in love with Onew, Jonghyun had begun to become distant. And there was such pain in his eyes that Key's heart broke just seeing him. It hurt, seeing his best friend start to pull away, but swept away by Onew and everything that he was doing, Key simply watched as Jonghyun pulled farther and farther away. So he pretended to be angry whenever the raven haired male refused to meet Onew, just so he didn't have to see the pain that filled the other's eyes.

And on the sixth day after Onew had come into the picture, Key had been wandering around the castle. He was supposed to be meeting Onew in the throne room, but the man was absent, or late. That was when he heard the piano, and he moved towards the room, listening. The song he heard was so full of emotion, and when it cut off, what he heard next shook him to his core.

"I love you," the voice was a sob, "I love you so damn much that it hurts, Key. Why can't you see that?" Key stood frozen for a moment, the voice sounding so familiar. It almost sounded like Onew, but it was deeper, more melodic and rich, but it had sounded like he was crying. Key's hands covered his mouth, his eyes widening. What if Onew had been late because he was playing that song, his heart breaking because he thought Key didn't love him? Key did love him though, he wasn't in love with him, but he cared deeply about him. And it was right then and there that he decided that he would accept Onew's proposal.

When he finally returned to the throne room, the other prince was standing there, a gentle smile on his lips. The words, 'I accept,' fell from his lips, and when Onew's smiled became blindingly bright, Key felt that maybe this was the right decision. Sure, he wasn't in love with the other prince, not yet, but he could try. He would admit it to himself secretly though, that his heart belonged to the mute raven haired male. And as much as Key loved Jonghyun, other than their almost kiss, he wasn't sure if Jonghyun cared about him as more than a friend at all.

Before he knew it, a celebration had been planned in the main plaza, and when Key went to invite Jonghyun, he received no answer. His hand ran over the smooth wood, wondering if this would be the blow that pushed Jonghyun away completely. But, much to his surprise and delight, just a little while before sunset, he caught sight of Jonghyun. And the raven haired male was dancing. Key's mouth was open in awe as he watched the mute man move in time with the music, as if he was letting himself fall into the melody and be swept away. Key had never before seen something so beautiful.

But then Key had to tell him. For just a flicker of a second after he broke the news to Jonghyun that he had accepted the other prince's proposal, the raven haired male had looked absolutely heartbroken, but it was gone so fast that he wondered if he had only imagined it. Key's breath had caught in his throat, but then Jonghyun had smiled and accepted Key's question of if he would be the best man. The light haired brunette felt a pang of hurt flash through his body at how seemingly at peace the mute man seemed with the situation, and he wondered if his feelings had always been one sided.

That question had been answered right before he went into the church to set his relationship in stone. The whole ceremony was like something out of a fairy tale, but everything felt wrong. Key wanted it to be Jonghyun that he was marrying, not Onew. As much as he cared for the darker haired brunette, there was no passion between them, nothing that made Key feel desired and wanted. But as he thought about it, he decided that there was nothing like that with Jonghyun either. Even though his heart was heavy with unrequited emotions, Key smiled, and acted as if everything was perfect.

He went to the ship and danced and laughed like he was supposed to, talked to the guests like he was supposed to, and pretended like he wasn't regretting the decision to agree to wed Onew. Some part of him wondered that if he hadn't been so afraid of his strong feelings for Jonghyun, and had given the mute male some time, if things could have worked out. But the hazel eyed male accepted his fate, and when Onew dragged him off to their room to consummate their marriage, Key pretended like everything wasn't falling apart inside of his mind.

Even with Jonghyun claiming that they were nothing more than just friends, it was him that Key was imagining as Onew's hands trailed over his body. It was Jonghyun's lips that were pressing against his, Jonghyun's voice whispering that he loved him. He lost himself in his fantasy, imagining a world where he was happily and madly in love with the raven, and where his feelings were returned. And when all was said and done, Key had rolled over and had asked Onew to sing the song that he had been playing on the piano a few days earlier.

The dark haired brunette had asked him what he was talking about, but before Key could answer, Onew had fallen asleep. Feeling more confused than ever, Key had joined him in the dream world, where his thoughts began to replay everything from the moment that he had met Jonghyun.

-

A sharp clatter woke Key from his repetitive dream, but he barely flinched against his place on Onew's chest. Instantly, he was on alert, because he couldn't think of a reason why someone would be in his room. Unwillingly, a soft sound escaped Key's lips, and he slowly rolled out of Onew's arms and rubbed his eyes. As secretly as he could, he cracked an eye open. What shocked him was the horrified look on Jonghyun's face. Maybe it was the sleep still wearing off, but the hazel eyed male didn't find it strange that the raven was in his room.

Before he could open his lips to call out Jonghyun's name, the raven ran out of the room. Key sat up slowly, confused, and looked over the side of the bed to see what the other man had dropped. His heart stilled when the metal of the dagger glinted in the silver moonlight. Immediately, he was up and running after the raven, his mind trying to figure out how the two were connected. When he reached the main area of the ship, he easily spotted the other male, leaning over the railings. Once again, he was going to call out his name, but before he could, a different voice began to shout.

"And you threw the chance to live out your life away! Why would you do that?" It wasn't a voice that Key recognized, and when his eyes darted around the deck, he didn't see anyone else around. Just who the hell was talking? At that moment, Jonghyun slipped to his knees, and much to Key's shock, the man began to weep. His foot took a step forward, his arms already beginning to reach out, when the voice that haunted his dreams filled his ears.

"Why would I choose to live?" The voice shouted, sorrow and agony lacing his tone. "I have nothing, nothing at all, to live for! I gave up everything, my family, my life in the sea, my heart," he took in a huge breath, "I gave everything up to be with Key! But he gave his everything to someone else. I love him with my entire being, but now that he's with Onew, I have nothing. And the saddest part? I don't even care that I gave everything for him. I'm just glad that I got to be with him for the short time I did. I want nothing more than for him to be happy and live out his life, even though I can't be the one giving that to him. As long as he's alive and well, I can die... Maybe not happy, but content. And I know that Onew will make him happy, I know that he will give Key everything that he wants. So I have nothing to live for."

Key's heart stilled, and he gripped the edge of the door to balance himself. Jonghyun was talking! Not only was he talking, but it was his voice that belonged to Key's savior. The prince's mind was spinning as he tried to process just what was happening. There was no possible way, Jonghyun had told him that he couldn't speak, but here he was, yelling at someone... Key edged a little bit closer towards the distraught male, his eyes widening even more.

"I can't... I wasn't what Key wanted, in the end. I wouldn't be selfish and tell him that it was me that saved him, not when he was so clearly falling in love with someone else. It would have been wrong, and besides, it wouldn't have changed anything." He let out a dry, humorless laugh. "But he'll be happy, even without me here. I mean, I'm sure that he'll always wonder who rescued him, and I wish that I could have told him that is was me. He was, and is, the most handsome man that I've ever seen... And I did keep my promise... I came back to him... Even though he never realized it. I love him with every last, little, broken piece of my heart..." He trailed off, his sobs shaking his shoulders.

"No," the word escaped the brunette's lips, but it wasn't loud enough for Jonghyun to hear him. In a move that mirrored Jonghyun's action from earlier, Key sank to his knees, his eyes filling with tears as the confession that Jonghyun was his savior finally sunk in. He didn't hear anything else after that until Jonghyun began to sing. At the familiar words, Key's head snapped up, his mouth dropping open in shock.

It was the song that he thought Onew had been singing for him. Tears rose to his eyes, cascading down his cheeks at the sheer emotion that was audible in the lyrics. He had been so, so very wrong. It had always been Jonghyun. His savior, the voice that haunted his thoughts, the one who wrote the most wonderful song, his best friend, the man who loved him... It had always been Jonghyun. The final note of the song hovered in the air, and everything was silent as the first rays of the sunrise finally showed.

"Goodbye, Kibum..." The voice reached him just in time for him to see Jonghyun push himself off of the rail and into the waters below.

"Jonghyun!" Key screamed, lunging forward from his hiding place. But he was too late. The water rippled and churned where Jonghyun must have hit. Key began to climb over the rail when the voice from earlier halted him in his tracks.

"Don't." The voice was cold, almost cruel, and Key flinched back, finally noticing the light haired male bobbing in the water. Key's eyes widened, wondering how the man was freezing or dead in the cold ocean waters. He only felt like he could move again once the male's light brown eyes shifted elsewhere. "You have him?" He asked, and Key stopped breathing when he saw another man pop up out of the water. Who were these people? They were crazy! But then he noticed that the new man was holding someone in his arms, and he started breathing again.

"Jonghyun!" He choked out. "Hurry, you guys need to get up here before you freeze to death in the water!" He jumped a bit when the light haired male gave a short, icy laugh. The darker haired male frowned, and simply nudged the other with and shook his head slightly.

"Taemin," he said quietly, and the lightened haired one looked over at him, and something in him warmed when he was looking at the other. "I'm going to take Jonghyun home... He'll probably be disoriented, right?" Taemin nodded. "Then it's best if I take him somewhere he's familiar with... I'll meet you back at your dwelling." He said, and then, much to Key's shock, he dove underwater. And he had a fish tail. And in the fleeting glimpse that Key got of Jonghyun's lower body, so was he.

Jonghyun was a merman. The knowledge sunk in, and his mind started to connect the dots. It made sense now, everything that he couldn't figure out before. How the mysterious man, whom he now knew was Jonghyun, had saved him, and how he had disappeared without a single footprint.

"He loved you, you know. From the first moment that he saw you," Taemin said, the coldness in his voice returning. "He really did give up everything for you. I didn't get it at first, when he came to me and begged me for a potion to become a human. In fact, I thought that he was fish brained for even wanting to come up here at all. But I do get it now. Love blinds you and makes you do crazy things..."

"So... You were the one who..." Key couldn't even finish his sentence, he was so overwhelmed. He thought back to the day he had found Jonghyun, how he had commented that every time the male stood or walked, it was like his first time. And now, Key realized that it was. But then, "Why did you make it so that his feet bled after walking for a long time? And why didn't he talk to me?" The last question now burned in his mind, wondering if Jonghyun had lied to him this entire time about not being able to talk.

"His feet bleeding was just part of the potion, a fatal flaw, one might say," Taemin said, his tawny colored eyes never leaving Key's, "and his voice was part of his payment. You would have recognized him right away if he had been able to talk. I considered taking his sight, but I figured he would need that, lest he embarrass himself in front of you." Taemin looked upwards, as if contemplating something. "But I guess it doesn't matter now. I mean, he was supposed to die if you married someone else, but..."

Key felt his hands start to shake. He felt like he had missed out on so many little details that were so important. How stupid could he be? Jonghyun... Should have died? All because Key married Onew? "What have I done?" His voice was just a whisper, but it soon rose to a wail. "Oh god, what have I done?" His hands gripped his hair and tugged, his heart writhing in his chest. All those night when he had wondered if his feelings for the raven were one sided, all those times when he caught Jonghyun staring at him and just brushed it off, their almost kiss... "I love him too... I really do... But I thought... That he saw me as just a friend..."

"Well you thought wrong," Taemin growled, and Key's head shot back up, hazel eyes meeting angry brown. "If it wasn't for Minho, Jonghyun would be sea foam right now. It was so obvious to everyone else that he loved you, even to me, who had no emotions when we met. But now it's too late. You're married to Onew, and Jonghyun is back home, where he belongs. So you go back to your lackluster human, and you..." Taemin stopped, his eyes flashing red for a moment, before he looked down, irritated.

"I'm so going to regret this..." His hand lashed out, and a pillar of water rose to Key's height, with Taemin in the center. The Sea Witch was still glaring at Key, but he held his hand out, offering a small, silver pearl to the prince. "This here is a summoning pearl. I'm giving it to you not because I want to, but because, once again, Minho is asking me to. God knows why he wants you to be able to contact me," Taemin rolled his eyes.

"It's because once he realizes how much he lost in Jonghyun, he might want to make a deal with you," a new voice said, and the merman from earlier was visible in the water. Key's eyes brimmed with tears, and he already had a feeling that he knew what he lost. "But that pearl can only be used if he decides that he's willing to give up everything, his life on land, his friends, his family, his husband," Key flinched at the term, "only if, and when, he's willing to give up everything, can he use that pearl. If he's willing to sacrifice as much as Jonghyun did for him, then he deserves a second chance."

"Aren't you supposed to be taking Jonghyun home?" Taemin asked, peering down at the man. Minho grinned up at him, and Key would have been a fool to miss the affection that was plainly obvious between the two. And then he started to wonder if he and Jonghyun looked like that too, only unknowingly to both of them.

"Don't worry." The merman, whom Key assumed to be Minho, winked at Taemin, and then he was gone once more. Taemin sighed, and then leveled his glared back on Key.

"Well, you heard him. So, if you ever reach the point where you're willing to give up everything just to have a second chance with Jonghyun, you know how to find me... We'll make a deal if that day ever comes. Goodbye, Prince Kibum." And then the pillar of water fell back into the ocean, taking Taemin with it.

-

Whoever said that absence makes the heart grow fonder was full of crap, Key decided. It had been two months since he had discovered the truth about Jonghyun, and every day, his heart became heavier and heavier with his grief. He had lost the one person in this world that had made him feel something other than platonic love, and it was all because he was too blind to see what was so obviously in front of him.

And every day, he sat on the shore, hoping that maybe, just maybe, Jonghyun's head would pop up one day. But it never did. And each night, he would go back to his castle, ignoring Onew, and curl up on his bed. And he felt terrible for doing it. But every time that he looked at Onew, he could only think, 'Jonghyun nearly died because I married him.'

But the prince never said anything to Onew, because he didn't know how to. He suffered silently, pretending that he didn't know that he was hurting the other prince as well. It wasn't fair to Onew, but what could Key do? He had promised himself, all of himself, to the man. But as he thought about it, he realized that it was a lie. Onew could never have all of Key, because so much of Key already belonged to Jonghyun.

And Key wished that he could take it all back. He wished that he could turn back time and kiss Jonghyun, ignore Onew's marriage proposal, and have the raven at his side forever. He felt like half of himself was missing, a half he hadn't realized was gone until Jonghyun was out of his reach. And it hurt. Everything hurt now that he was missing the raven haired man in his life.

The man who had given up everything for Key. The man Key wanted to give everything up for. But he had his kingdom, his people to watch over, and he hated that he knew that he would give them all up in a second if it meant being with the raven haired male. But then he had his vows that tied him to Onew. His vows that had once filled him with happiness now felt like chains that were made rashly and without true love driving them forward. His stomach clenched when he thought back to when he had told Jonghyun. How had the raven felt, standing there as Key beamed at him, asking him to be his best man? No matter how he tried to think around it, Key's vows were tainted in his mind.

And it made him sick. Sick with heartache over losing Jonghyun, even though he supposed that he never really had him. Sick of longing for what he had so foolishly thrown away because he had been scared. Sick of... He was sick of everything, and he just wanted it all to stop. But mostly, he was just sick with himself.

He pressed the heels of his palms to his eyes to keep the tears from falling, even though silent sobs wracked his body. Key curled into a ball on the edge of his bed, shying away from Onew's outstretched hand, and tried to hold back the hysterical crying and screaming fit that he knew would inevitably come.

"You can go to him, Key... I won't hate you for following your heart. After all, it was never mine, anyways... Was it?" Onew's soft voice cut through his building hysteria, and he stilled, before slowly uncovering his eyes and looking over his shoulder at the darker brunette. Onew was smiling a small, sad smile, and that almost set Key off again. How could the man be so kind to him? Especially after how Key had been treating him. He bit his lip and looked away, shame and guilt and anguish tainting everything good that he could have had with Onew.

"I-I'm s-s-sorry..." Key stuttered out, tears cascading down his face. "I'm so... So sorry." He felt Onew shift, and a gentle hand rested on Key's shoulder.

"You never really loved me, anyways..." The chicken loving male whispered. "And if I keep you here, you'll only grow to resent me..." Key didn't see, but a tear dripped down Onew's cheek, but it was hastily wiped away. "You... Were never mine to lose... Why regret what cannot be? Your heart is full of love, but it's not for me..." At this point, Key was full out sobbing. How could Onew be so compassionate, so understanding, when his own heart was inevitably breaking? More apologies slipped from Key's mouth, and being the blubbering mess that he was, he just kept spouting them out.

"Just... Go find him. And... Be gone when I wake up. I don't know if I'll have the strength to tell you goodbye in the morning..." Onew said a while later, and rolled over so that he was facing away from Key. The younger brunette slipped out of bed when he heard Onew's soft snores, but didn't bother to grab anything on his way out. He wouldn't need it where he was going, anyways. Key stopped in the doorway, and looked back at Onew, before he slipped away, heading towards that beach.

He pretended that he didn't hear the snores stop the second he was out of the room, and he most definitely did not hear the small, heartbroken sobs that fell from Onew's lips.

The waves crashed against the shore in a comforting way. It had been the one thing that had stayed consistent after losing Jonghyun. But now, trepidation and wonder and excitement kept Key was admiring the sheer force of the crashing waves. In his hand, the pearl that Taemin had given him was warm, and without a second thought, Key threw it out into the ocean. And then he waited... And waited... And waited.

His despair was so strong when nothing happened that he collapsed to his knees, feeling angry tears form in his eyes. Had it been some sort of cruel joke? Make him think that there was a way to get back to Jonghyun when there really wasn't? His heart ached in his chest as he slowly climbed back to his feet. He wondered if the gaping emptiness was what Jonghyun felt every time he saw Onew with Key. He turned his back to the waves, when he heard the familiar voice of Taemin, and he almost collapsed again as he whirled around.

"You have some nerve," Taemin growled, his eyes flashing a deep red, "waking me up in the middle of the night. I swear. Humans have no courtesy." He grumbled, and then yawned widely. "What do you want?"

"I'm giving it all up. Everything. I want nothing more than to be with Jonghyun," Key's words rushed out, and he felt the gaping hole of nothingness in his chest shrink just a bit at the idea of seeing Jonghyun once more. "Please, make me... Make me a merman so I can be with Jonghyun. Please..." Key begged, and Taemin stared indifferently at the begging prince.

"You waited quite a while before you decided that he was worth giving everything up for," Taemin stated, and when Key started to protest, the light haired brunette held his hand up, silencing him. "What are you going to do if you find him and he's moved on? What if he wants nothing to do with you?" Taemin's questions made Key stop, his eyes widening. He had never even thought about that. His lower lip was caught in his teeth as he looked back at Taemin to answer.

"Then I would deal with that then. Right now, the only thing that matters is seeing Jonghyun again." He said, his resolve set in stone. Taemin nodded, as if he approved.

"Now... About that deal..." Key shivered as Taemin leveled him with his gaze. "I'll make it... Not easy, per say, but I won't make it ridiculous." Taemin looked at the back of his hand, examining his nails. "In order to become a merman, you have to give up your memories. Not your feelings, mind you, they'll stay, but everything that you've ever cared about, except Jonghyun, you have to give it to me. And then I'll make you a merman. But in order to stay a merman, you'll have to get a kiss, a kiss of true love, from Jonghyun."

"Done. I've already cut ties with everything. I haven't been living, not since he left." Key said firmly, his own warm hazel eyes meeting Taemin's.

"Good. Now come over here so we can get this over with. I would like to sleep a bit before Minho comes to pester me, thank you." Taemin huffed snippily, and Key complied, moving to sit in front of the Sea Witch. Small hands came to rest on either side of his face, and slowly, he felt a burning sensation in his temples.

Memories long since forgotten flashed across his mind before they were simply gone, and before Key knew it, the only things he remembered involved Jonghyun in some way. He remembered Taemin, and Minho, and most definitely the raven haired male, but he couldn't remember why he wasn't with Jonghyun at that moment.

He had... Messed something up? Confusion filled his gaze as the burning simmered down to a mere buzz. And hazel eyes looked towards Taemin, searching for whatever answers he might gain from him.

"Now, this next part might... Um... Hurt, a bit," Taemin warned, and with the softest touch to Key's legs, the Sea Witch let his magic spill forth into the limbs. It felt like Key was being skinned alive, and everything became a blinding white pain. But surprisingly, not a sound of pain escaped his lips.

When it was over, Key's breathing was labored, and his whole body was shaking. It didn't help that the lower half of his body felt so much heavier. But when he saw his tail, a rich purple color randomly scattered with white streaks. It was beautiful.

He looked up at Taemin, his hazel eyes shining in excitement. "Wow," he breathed, "do you feel like this all the time?" He gave the Sea Witch a grin, and flexed the tail, discovering that it was like a huge muscle, and he flopped it a few times to get used to it rather than having legs. Taemin watched him with a look akin to amusement, and finally, Key felt like he was prepared to go and find Jonghyun.

He wouldn't rest until the raven was in his arms, and until he knew that Jonghyun could and would be his forever.

- Jonghyun and Key: What I Wouldn't Give -

He wasn't oblivious to the looks that Minho gave him when the brunette thought that he wasn't paying attention. But really, he didn't want to deal with it. He didn't know how to even begin confronting his friend about the pitying looks. It was terrible; he should feel grateful that his friend had somehow convinced Taemin to save his life, but he hated Minho for it. He had been so ready to die, to leave behind everything that he was and cease to exist. He had been so ready to be without the pain that losing Key had caused him.

But now he was forced to live, another minute, another hour, another day, another month, knowing that Key was in the arms of someone else, and he was doomed to forever long for someone who would never be his. His heart tried to give a painful thump in his chest, but it was too broken, so it merely gave a small quiver. Jonghyun let out a heavy sigh, his eighty-sixth that day, but who was counting? Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Minho reach out as if to lay a hand on his shoulder, but at the last second, the charismatic male flinched back. Jonghyun couldn't even bring himself to care that his long time best friend couldn't even bear to touch him now. Some part of him felt like Minho deserved it; he shouldn't have interfered... Jonghyun wouldn't be in so much pain now if the man had just let the spell take its toll.

Rationally, Jonghyun knew that he was wrong. Minho had only wanted to save his friend, who could fault him for that? And he had even gotten to return home since he didn't turn into sea foam. Jonghyun knew that he was the only one who wasn't happy at his return. His sisters had been shocked and elated; they didn't know where their brother had disappeared to for a month, and they never would. Jonghyun's father had just been happy that his son had returned, but upon finding out that Jonghyun had been up with the humans, he had been beyond angry. But then the Sea King had seen the dead look in his son's eyes, and he had shut his mouth. He had never seen someone look so broken and lifeless while they were still living. Not even at his own darkest moments had he ever had that hollow look.

Jonghyun had found out that his grandmother had died while he had been up on land, and while the raven haired merman felt a brief stab of pain, he still couldn't bring himself to really muster up any grief to mourn the woman. Everything was just too much of an effort these days. He had to force himself out from his bed in the mornings, had to force himself to fake a smile as different merfolk came to talk to their prince, had to force himself to just keep functioning. If it were just up to him, he would just let himself wither away into nothing, like he was supposed to have done. But since he was still alive, at least physically, he figured that he shouldn't just let Minho's efforts be wasted.

A month after returning, he had taken up drifting, letting the currents take him where they pleased. There weren't many nomad merfolk anymore, but Jonghyun was becoming one. He started returning home later and later until one night, he didn't go back home at all. There was nothing for him there, anymore. He thought that he should feel something about leaving the place that he had called home for so long, but after meeting Key, loving him, that place had no more meaning. Home was where the heart was, and his heart was up on land. He no longer had a home.

Minho would find him sometimes, like now. The brunette didn't ever seem to know what to say, so he sat quietly, watching his friend with pitying eyes. Jonghyun let out another sigh, eighty-seven, and then swam off towards the shallower water. During his wandering, he had discovered a small, remote island, far away from everything he had ever known. It had become his own personal island, and once he reached it, he pulled himself onto the warm sand. But unlike the first time he had ever felt dry sand, he didn't roll in it. All it was to him now was just what it was: dry sand. It was scratchy and annoying. But much like everything else, it was too much trouble to brush it off. He lay in the sun, feeling himself dry, and his breathing became labored as his body tried to pull in air.

Jonghyun had forgotten that a merman, even though they seemed half human, would die if left out of water too long. He remembered his grandmother telling him a story about it a long time ago. But he made no move to get himself back into the water. His thoughts wandered as he became drier and drier. What would this death feel like? Would it hurt? He found that he didn't quite care. Then he began to feel the effects of the sun. The raven felt himself suffocating, and his body began seizing, before he blacked out completely.

When he came to, he was back underwater. 'How did that happen?' He wondered, but when he caught sight of a shadow, he sank even deeper into the wet sand. Of course Minho had saved him; his friend just wouldn't let him die. The black eyed male let himself wallow in his misery for a few minutes before he started feeling anger stir in his belly. It grew and grew until it exploded violently. "Why didn't you just let me die?" He yelled, turning to Minho, who was staring at him, shocked at his outburst. The raven had barely spoken since he had become a merman again. But both of them knew that Jonghyun wasn't talking about being pulled out of the sun and into the water.

"I was ready to die," Jonghyun yelled, passionate about something for the first time, even if that passion was only born from anger. "I accepted that Key would never be mine, and even though I accepted that, I found some comfort that I wouldn't have to live with that knowledge for long. But you took that away from me! I was at peace with my fate! Why would you do that to me? I don't have anything to live for, Minho! Nothing!" He yelled, and he felt the burning in his eyes that usually meant that he had saltwater droplets falling from his eyes, but of course he felt nothing since he was underwater.

"What about your family, your friends?" Minho shot back, not angry yet, his eyes betraying how hurt he was. "I don't get it, Jonghyun! Before Key, you were content with your life, you were happy! But now it's like... It's like..." Minho was at a loss for words, which was rare for the male. He dragged his hand through his hair, and sent a pained look towards Jonghyun. The raven's shoulders slumped, but the tenseness in his body didn't leave. He was still too angry, although he was trying to squash that part of himself down.

"It's like before I met Key, yes, I was content. But I wasn't truly happy. I had no passion in my life. Music was music, color was color. But after meeting Key, music was something that affected me, it drew me in and it made me feel something deeper. I had passion, I could feel the music in my veins and it was wonderful. It could express something that words couldn't. It was pure and emotional. The colors that once were only colors suddenly became more vibrant. Everywhere I looked, there was a new shade of red, of blue, or yellow. Suddenly there was plum, or indigo, or marigold. It wasn't just a color. There was something tied to it, a meaning. White was purity, red was passion or love or hate, blue was sadness or calmness. But without him, everything has gone back to being dull. It's like before I met Key, I was just settling for the only life I knew. But now..." He choked up, his hands shaking. "But now it feels like I'm still alive, but I'm barely breathing... I'm seeing the world in the dull colors that I used to think were bright and lovely. But they're not. They're terrible, lackluster, and I hate everything so much. I hate how I can't feel the sunlight on my face for extended periods if time because I would dry out, I hate how I can't dance on my own two feet that I've become accustomed to, I hate how I'm stuck with a fin that keeps me from being human, I hate how I can't see Key anymore, I hate that you took my one comfort away from me and you now look at me with pity, always pity, and I hate myself for hating everything else..." Jonghyun was sobbing, and the part of his brain that he was growing to hate reminded him that if this was on land, he would feel little droplets dripping down his cheek.

"Jonghyun..." Minho breathed, staring at his friend, rendered speechless by the raven's rant. The brunette sagged, suddenly looking distraught. "I'm sorry... I just... I couldn't lose you. You're my best friend... I just thought..." He trailed off, staring down. Jonghyun felt regret and guilt rise in his chest, but he squashed it down. He could feel guilty about how he had lashed out at Minho later, but right now, he was just too angry.

"Thought what? That I would be content to come back to a place where I'm alone? And don't even try to deny it. Sure, my family loves me, but I never see them. My father is always off ruling the seas, and my sisters are always out doing who knows what. I used to have you, but now, even you are gone. You're always with Taemin. I can't stand to see you with him, because all it serves to do is remind me that you can be with the person you love, and the one person I would do anything to be with is in love with another man... How could you even think... That I would ever want to come back here?" He broke off, furiously rubbing at his eyes to try to get the burn to lessen.

When he looked up again, Minho was gone, a small trail of bubbles giving away the general direction of where he went. The raven haired merman slumped into the cold, wet sand, his body heaving with sobs. Everything hurt, and he just couldn't take it anymore. His whole body was cracking under the weight of his broken heart, and now that his anger had passed, his mind became numb to everything except the ripping feeling in his chest. It kind of felt like he was walking again, he idly thought, but only this time, he couldn't bleed, couldn't find a physical sign of the agony he was going through. He just wanted it to end. What he wouldn't give just to have the torture stop...

As he lay there, his body trembling almost violently, he wondered if this was how his father felt when his wife had died. His eldest sisters, who were old enough to remember the woman, had often told their younger brother about her. His grandmother had also told him stories of the woman, painting a picture in his mind about what she had been like. She had been beautiful; so beautiful, in fact, that many a merfolk had tried to win her hand in marriage but none had succeeded. But her beauty didn't make her vain, she had been kind and caring to everyone she had met, and would give someone who needed help anything that could possibly help them. She had been loving, and fiercely protective of her family and those who she held dear. All in all, his sisters and grandmother had made her out to be the perfect mermaid. At this point in time, Jonghyun wondered if any of it was even real. She seemed too perfect to have ever existed.

But he didn't focus on that. His mind wandered to the story, the only story his father had ever told him, about how his father met his mother. It had been like any normal day, his father had been making his rounds, when he had heard what he described to be, 'the most beautiful and lyrical voice' singing. He had gone to investigate, wondering if a siren had stumbled into his territory. But instead, he had found the mermaid of his dreams. Immediately, he had tried to court her... Only to be shot down. The woman hated when mermen only wanted to court her without really knowing her. She had left, leaving the king of the seas to simply watch.

It had been a week later when their paths crossed again. The Sea King had been out, looking for the mysterious woman once more, wanting to actually get to know her, and by sheer luck, he had bumped into her on the street. He didn't know it at the time, but she had been keeping any eye out for him too, wondering why she hadn't seen him before, and some part of her wanting to see him again. This time, the Sea King was determined to get it right, to win over the mermaid's heart, and then eventually court her properly. He learned that her favorite thing to do was to visit the surface, to watch the way that humans interacted. She found out that he hadn't ever really had a true friend, even though many people knew him. They fell in love over the days they spent together, but it all came crashing down when she found out who he truly was.

She was beyond furious that he had never told her that he was the Sea King. "Triton, how could you not tell me?" She had cried out, her eyes full of betrayal, before she had swam away. He just couldn't believe that she didn't already know. It took them another few days before they both calmed down enough to sit down and talk again. Things were easily fixed between them, but they both swore to never have any secrets between them again. It was very soon after that they were married, which made sense, because their hearts had joined them as mates. Everything seemed so perfect between them. Especially when their first child, a little girl, was born. Five more girls followed soon after, and then finally, their seventh child was a boy.

They had been such a happy family, full of love and joy, or so his father had said. Jonghyun never did find out what had happened to his mother, only knowing that once she died, the Sea King changed. He made rules that prevented merfolk from going to the surface until they were fifteen, and he became even more protective of his children. Jonghyun hadn't understood when he was fifteen why his father was so nervous about him going to the surface. It was only when he was seventeen that one of his sisters had mentioned that Jonghyun was extremely similar to their mother, and that woman had also held a fascination for the humans. He wondered if his father regretted ever letting Jonghyun go to the surface, because now he had lost not only his wife, but his only son.

Jonghyun couldn't help but wonder how his father ever recovered from his wife's death. Or if he ever did. After all, when merfolk chose their mate, they chose for life. Even if it was only one-sided, the merman or mermaid would never choose anyone else to be with, and would forever long to be with their mate... The raven haired male couldn't ever imagine the pain he was feeling lessening. It caused a constant ache in his whole body, and sapped everything that had once made him happy, away. Everything was dull in the face of this heartache, and nothing, not even his best friend, could fix this for him.

He had chosen his mate, and now he would be doomed to forever feel that loss keenly. The raven hauled himself up out of the cold sand, and slowly made his way back to his island. He pulled himself halfway out of the water, letting his tail stay so he wouldn't suffocate, and laid back into the now warm, but still wet, sand, and let the waves roll against his bare chest. Black eyes drifted shut, exhaustion from his emotional outburst finally settling in, and he drifted off into a restless sleep.

His dreams had a funny way of dangling what he wanted right in front of him, as if taunting him about what he could never have. Sometimes he would dream that he was still a human, and he was waking up next to Key in the prince's bed. The handsome hazel eyed prince would turn over, see Jonghyun there, and he would smile and whisper those three words that the merman so desperately wanted to hear. Other times, they would be on the boat from Key's wedding night. He would be sitting on the ledge, but before he would jump, he would feel strong arms wrap around him, and hear Key begging him not to leave. Those dreams faded almost instantly when he woke up, leaving a bitter taste in his mouth, and the ache in his chest would remind him that they were just that: a dream.

But this one was more realistic than most of them, and Jonghyun didn't know whether he hated it or loved it yet. He was still on his island, where he could feel the waves crashing against his body, and he felt the warmth of another body next to his own. At first, he thought it was Minho, but upon cracking his eyes open to the tiniest of slits, he was surprised to see Key. His heart warmed, and he reached out to pull the prince's body to his own, burying his face in the hazel eyed male's soft hair, and inhaling the scent that was purely Key. He decided that it was a good dream, because the prince felt so real and warm in his arms, and everything about him seemed exactly the same as if he was actually laying on the sand next to Jonghyun.

"Jonghyun..." Key's voice wrapped around the merman, and it sounded so real. The raven smiled into dream-Key's hair, still holding onto the figment of his imagination tightly, not wanting to ever let go. The prince didn't struggle, instead simply snuggled in closer to the raven, and returned his embrace. "I thought I'd never see you again..." He whispered, and Jonghyun chuckled, the sound rumbling lowly in his chest.

"We see each other every night in my dreams... Even though the real you is far away, I can still have you here..." He whispered. He felt at peace with his dream-Key, and he hoped that he wouldn't wake up anytime soon, because he didn't know if he could bear to have a dream this real only to awaken to his true reality. The Key in his arms shifted, and was about to say something, but Jonghyun shushed him. "Just let me pretend that you're here with me... That you love me in the way that I love you..." He whispered, his eyes shining with a sad shade of love. He leaned down and captured the dream-Key's lips with his own, and let out a content sigh at how perfect this dream was.

When he pulled back, he was shocked to see that there were streaks of wetness falling down Key's cheeks. He quickly wiped them away, his hands soft on the prince's face, and his expression was one of worry. "Why do you have droplets of sea water falling from your eyes?" The raven haired male asked, his black eyes searching Key's normally warm ones. This was strange, why would his dream-Key be sad? The light haired brunette shook his head as sobs wracked his body.

"They're called tears, Jonghyun... They happen when you cry..." Watery hazel eyes met his own, and the statement chilled Jonghyun to the bone. The foreign words registered, and he edged away from the prince. How did his dream version of the land prince know words that he himself did not know? "Jonghyun..." His name fell from Key's lips in a way that set the raven haired male even more on edge. "I love you too..."

"Okay, Jongie, time to wake up..." He whispered to himself, unnerved by this dream-Key. The merman scooted away from the prince, edging closer to the water, when he finally saw the fin where Key's legs should have been. His whole body froze, his eyes widening. Not once, never in his wildest dreams, had he imagined Key becoming a merman. The merman's hands began to shake, and he dove into the water, desperately trying to pull himself out of this dream. He pinched his arms, hissing at the sharp sting, but before he could try anything else to wake himself up, a pair of arms wrapped around him, holding him back.

"Jonghyun, you are awake..." Key whispered, and Jonghyun scoffed, knowing that all of this couldn't be real. There was no plausible way for Key to have suddenly decided to return the merman's feelings and then become a merman himself. Key, as of sensing his denial, turned him around so that he could stare directly into Jonghyun's eyes. "I... I'm here with you, now. I'm sorry it took me so long... I- I can't seem to remember why. But Taemin, he turned me into a merman so I could be with you."

Taemin? He was involved with this is some way? Okay, this definitely had to be a nightmare. Jonghyun rubbed his head, the pounding there getting more and more intense. Wake up, wake up, wake up! He thought, rubbing his palms into his temples. His subconscious must really hate him to weave together this complicated and realistic of a dream for him. Key, making a deal with Taemin, just to be with Jonghyun; that was crazy! They didn't even know each other, and hadn't ever even met.

Unless Key had seen Jonghyun's final moments before he pushed himself into the water. Then the hazel eyed male could have met the Sea Witch. The raven swallowed, feeling all too awake to be dreaming, and slowly, he looked up at the prince, who still had his arms around the raven. "... How did you even meet Taemin?" He asked softly, his whole world seemingly slowing down as he awaited an answer.

"I... It was when we were on the boat... I woke up to see you in my room, and you looked horrified... And then you ran out, and I saw the dagger... So I followed; I had to know what had happened. I heard... Everything," the look on Key's face was pained, but his eyes shone with love and a strange sort of regret, "then you were in the water, and I was so scared that you were going to drown... But then I saw Taemin, and another merman who was holding you. Before they left, Taemin gave me a pearl to throw into the ocean if I wanted to make a deal with him, so I did. I wanted nothing more than to be with you." Key's hand caressed Jonghyun's face, and a smile was on his lips. "I'm sorry it took so long..."

Jonghyun was at a loss for words, his mind racing. This wasn't a dream? He slowly realized that he was awake, that he had been this whole time. Key was really here with him. Joy, an emotion that he was sure he would never feel again outside of his dreams, bubbled in his chest, and he felt lighter than he had in weeks. He gripped Key's face between his hands and kissed him full on the lips, savoring the feeling of having the prince pressed tightly against him.

When he pulled away, Key's eyes were half lidded, and desire burned in their depths. Jonghyun opened his mouth to comment, but Key immediately shushed him, leaned in, and whispered, "No talking, just kissing." Their lips met again, and Jonghyun felt the part of himself that had gone missing slip back into place. With Key in his arms, he felt whole. His world was filled with vibrant colors once more.

He wasn't sure how long they stayed like that, wrapped up in each other, but a not so subtle cough had them slowly pulling apart. Jonghyun looked over, not really surprised to see Minho and Taemin. A flood of emotions went through him, and he wasn't sure how to deal with his whiplash return from being emotionless. But the relieved and happy look on Minho's face had Jonghyun regretting how he had treated his friend for the last two months. The raven haired man knew that the dark haired brunette had a hand in bringing Key back to him, somehow. He swam over to his best friend, and hugged the man tightly to him, and whispered a soft, "I'm sorry, and thank you so much for saving me."

When he pulled back, Minho just winked at him, and reached out to take Taemin's hand. "Without his help though, none of this could have happened. I may have suggested the idea, but he brought it to life and made it happen..." The look in Minho's eyes was tender and full of affection as he looked at the smaller honey haired brunette. Taemin just frowned and looked away, but he didn't let go of the man's hand. Jonghyun pretended that he didn't see the way that the Sea Witch squeezed Minho's hand, or the way his cheeks became just a bit darker.

"Thank you both," he looked between them, his heart swelling with fondness for them. He would never regret having Minho as his best friend, and he hoped that maybe one day, he and Taemin would have something stronger than the tentative friendship they had now. He suspected that they would, considering that he was pretty sure that Taemin and Minho would become mates. They were so clearly falling in love. They then told him that they had just come to check on him and Key, but they would let them be now, and then they were gone again. Jonghyun smiled, and then turned to swim back to Key, who had watched the scene with an affectionate smile of his own.

"I love you," Jonghyun whispered, and took the prince's hand, gripping it tightly in his own. "I always have." He tugged Key to him, tilted his head up, and kissed the lips that he used to crave so much. Not that he didn't crave them now, but the fact that he was pretty sure he could kiss Key whenever he wanted helped to sate the longing. The human turned merman kissed him back, tangling his hands in Jonghyun's hair, and the raven couldn't help but notice how perfectly their bodies fit together.

He had his mate here with him now, and he didn't intend to let go of the light haired brunette, ever. Key was the first to pull back, his lips bruised from their kissing, his cheeks flushed, and his eyes darkened with emotion. Jonghyun was pretty sure that he looked the same way, but he could honestly say that it was because he was so affected by the way his mate was so perfectly pressed against him. Jonghyun wanted nothing more than to throw Key down in the sand and actually mate with him, make the feelings in his heart physically real, but that could wait for another day. When Key was truly his mate, and returned the mate bond.

"Jonghyun..." Key whimpered, his flushed cheeks darkened a little bit more, and his eyes darted to the side as he bit his lip. "I... I love you too. So much." He pulled himself closer to the raven haired male, and buried his face in the crook of his neck. "I want to be with you, be yours, forever..." The words seared themselves into Jonghyun's mind, and all he could do was stare stupidly ahead for a moment. Key, his, forever... He was so deliriously happy that he couldn't imagine a moment more perfect.

But then Onew crossed his mind, and a sharp sting of guilt went through his veins. He thought about saying something, asking what happened with him. But he had Key in his arms and he didn't want to ruin this. He didn't want to bring the other prince up because he knew that Key's loving heart would be filled with guilt, and besides, Jonghyun knew better than to look a gift shark in the mouth. So he remained quiet, selfishly promising to never bring up the other male, so that Key could always be his. His best friend, his lover, his mate.

"Be my mate, then," he whispered, his voice rough from the course of his thoughts, and pulled the former land prince so close to him that both could barely breathe. He wanted Key to stay forever, and this would help keep him from even thinking of going back. The more positive feelings in his chest swirled and threatened to explode when he felt Key start pressing kisses to the side of his neck, and a delighted shiver made its way down his spine. "Key," his voice cracked a little on the light haired male's name, and in return, he received a light nip on the juncture where his shoulder met his neck.

"I will, Jonghyun. I'll be your mate, I want nothing more than to be with you. In every possible way... Starting now would be nice." Key's voice slowly drifted up to meet his ears, and his heart thudded in his chest. He threaded his fingers through the prince's soft hair, and yanked his head back. Key's eyes were wide and filled with want, love, and desire. Jonghyun crashed their lips together in a frenzied movement, his control over his instincts failing. He wanted his mate, and he wanted his mate now, and he could feel Key's heart reaching out to his, returning the mate bond.

He threw Key down in the sand, much like he had wanted to do earlier, and began to worship the body that writhed in pleasure beneath him. Every dream he had ever had of the prince was finally coming true. And when their bodies connected as one, Key crying out his name, he felt something inside his heart shift, and then everything was a blinding white. His arms shook before they gave out, and he collapsed on top of Key's back. Once he caught his breath, he began to pepper kisses over his mate's shoulder blades. He made his way up to the prince's mouth, and gently laid a kiss there. But the light haired brunette was already asleep, their mating effectively wiping him out.

A smile filled with pure love and affection crossed his lips, and he snuggled against the sleeping male, his body thrumming with joy at just being this close to his mate. "I won't ever let you go," he promised, "I'll always be there for you... To protect you, to love you, to be everything you'll ever need... I love you, Kim Kibum..." And with that vow, he fell into a dreamless but content sleep.

- Jonghyun and Key: What I Wouldn't Give: Pre-Epilogue -

Their bliss lasted for about four months before everything changed. They had returned to Jonghyun's home, and his sisters and his father had accepted Key into the family with minimal questions. It seemed as if they were afraid that asking questions would chase Jonghyun away once more. But they grew to love Key, and soon enough, it was as of he had always been a part of the family. The positive reaction towards a human-turned-merman even inspired Minho to convince Taemin to come to the kingdom.

Jonghyun and Key had made sure to be there, showing their support of the Sea Witch. And slowly but surely, Taemin was accepted as well. The honey haired male would never admit it to anyone, but later that night, he had clung to Minho, forgetting the presence of the other two mermen, the overwhelming feeling of acceptance cracking away the rest of his stone heart. Had he been on land, Jonghyun knew that the male would have been crying, or at least, that's what Key called it.

But that was when Key began to get sick. It started out slowly, only hitting at random intervals, but then it began to hit more and more frequently, until Key could barely keep any food down. Jonghyun worried over him, always rubbing his back whenever the nausea hit, and began searching for a healer. Taemin visited one time, and witnessed one of the episodes, and his light brown eyes widened. It would end up being him that put the pieces together.

"Key, have you mated with Jonghyun?" He asked, swimming over to where the male sat, unconsciously rubbing his belly. Key nodded, his eyes focusing on Taemin, seeing the knowing light in them. "I think I know what's going on then... Let me just go get that imbecile you call a mate." He swam off muttering something about how Jonghyun should have known what was going on.

"Wait, hold on just a freakin' second," Key huffed, his eyes narrowed, and his hands sitting comfortably on his hips, "you think I'm what?" If Jonghyun wasn't so shocked himself, he would probably have been a bit terrified of angry Key, but instead, he just stared dumbly at Taemin, who had his arms crossed over his chest, and a rather calm expression on his face.

"You're with child," he repeated slowly, as if telling it to a child. He took a rather deep breath in, and stared at Key. "Human males can't carry children, their bodies aren't equipped for it, so I'm not surprised that you'd be shocked about this. But Jonghyun should have known, at least. Merfolk are, how would you say it... Hermaphrodites. We all possess both male and female organs. Yes, one gender is predominately more defined, but the capability is still there. Now, put that with you and Jonghyun mating, and boom. You're carrying his child."

Key stared, wide eyed, at the Sea Witch, before he slowly looked down at his stomach, his hands still resting protectively over the barely there bump. "I'm... Going to have Jonghyun's baby?" He asked quietly, and the emotion in his voice startled Jonghyun into finally comprehending what was happening. Key looked up, over to the raven haired male, and nearly at the same moment, they both got huge, stupid grins. His mate was going to have his baby!

From that day, they began to plan for the baby mermaid, and the kingdom celebrated their joy. Not a day went by that Key and Jonghyun weren't stopped somewhere in the kingdom and congratulated for the upcoming babe. But there were rough days too. Days where Key's mood swings would become unbearable, or days when he was so tired that he couldn't even leave their bed. By the time Key had reached full term, Jonghyun was a mess of nerves though. The fear of being an inadequate father plagued his mind, he had felt useless while Key was pregnant, and no matter how much Key assured him that he would do fine, he was afraid that he would fail his baby somehow.

But when he held his baby for the first time, a little girl named Gidae - Hope, she stole his breath away, and he made the small babe the promise he had made Key all those months ago. He would protect her, love her, and be there for her until his dying breath. Dark eyes, nearly black, looked over to his exhausted mate, and the love that shone in Key's eyes was so strong that Jonghyun fell in love with the man all over again.

Nearly a year later, Minho and Taemin were blessed with their first child, a beautiful baby boy with lead green eyes that they named Cedric. Minho had held the same fears as Jonghyun had when he had first learned that he too would be a father, but Jonghyun told him that the first moment that he held his baby, everything would seem to shift into place. And sure enough, Jonghyun's words had held true. The raven haired male had clapped his best friend of so many years on the back, and both of their eyes shined just a shade brighter. They were family, even if they weren't related by blood.

The days passed quickly, and Jonghyun couldn't believe that his little girl, who was as beautiful as her papa, was going to be four years old in only a few days. Key had suggested taking her to the surface, not seeing why merfolk should have to wait until until they were fifteen. Just the image of Gidae playing in the dry sand, marveling at the feel of it in her palms, was enough to Jonghyun to agree. And on the day of her fourth birthday, they went up as a family.

"I almost forgot what the sun feels like," Key sighed happily, reclining into the warm sand as he watched Gidae play. She had found a crab, which was not unfamiliar to her, and was eagerly poking it, almost daring it to pinch her. He looked towards Jonghyun, his bright hazel eyes shining with mirth and affection. "Too bad we can't have the sun's heat underwater, right?" He teased.

Jonghyun rolled his eyes, and watched the waves as the crashed against the shoreline for hours, until the sunset was shining on the far horizon. It was calming, seeing the mighty waves look so serene, and Jonghyun couldn't imagine a more breathtaking sight, well, with the exception of Key and Gidae, of course. The silence was shattered when Gidae stopped, and pointed somewhere behind them. "Daddy, papa! Look, humans!" She squealed, and clapped her hands together. And at the same moment, they heard an all too familiar voice cry out from behind the waves.

"Key, watch out!" Before either merman could move, a sickening squelch was heard, and in slow motion, Jonghyun turned his head to look over at his mate. Key was staring down towards his chest with wide hazel eyes, looking shocked and confused. With a shaking hand, he slowly reached up, and lightly touched the harpoon that was sticking out just under his ribcage. Bright red blood coated the tips of his fingers, but it looked nearly black in the fading light.

He barely heard the confused cry from Gidae as Taemin grabbed her and covered her eyes, before throwing her to Minho, who was waiting in the water. He barely noticed Taemin as the Sea Witch gathered power and struck down the humans who had shot Key. All his mind could comprehend was: Key, Key, Key, Key, and he was paralyzed in shock. Horror was the first emotion to slip back into place, and it only registered when Jonghyun saw Key's eyes roll back into his head. He lunged over, barely catching the hazel eyed male before he hit the ground.

"Key," he lightly shook his mate's body, panic and terror flooding into his expression, "Key, baby, wake up. Open your eyes, please? Key..." His voice cracked, and he felt tears drip down his cheeks. Key coughed weakly in his arms, and ever so slowly, the smaller male opened his eyes. But they were dull, and Jonghyun could see the pain reflected in them. "Key..." His body shook with the force of his sobs, and he gently ran his hand over his mate's hair, something he knew had always comforted Key.

"I was too late..." Taemin said, and Jonghyun barely turned his attention to the Sea Witch; he could feel his heart ripping itself to shreds in his chest, and he couldn't focus on anything other than his mate who lay dying in his arms. But through his agony, he realized that Taemin was there, and suddenly, with a surge of hope so raw that it hurt, he turned his crazed gaze towards the Sea Witch.

"Bring him back! You can heal him, can't you?" He demanded, still cradling Key in his arms. "Taemin, please, you have to save him! I can't... I can't live without him," Jonghyun sobbed, his eyes begging, pleading with the Sea Witch to heal Key, to make all of this feel like a terrible dream. Taemin stared at his friends, his wide honey brown eyes full of regret.

"I can't... We don't have enough time for me to make a potion that will heal him by itself... The only way to save him now..." Taemin shook his head, feeling absolutely useless for the first time since his predecessor had died, leaving him to be the new Sea Witch. "Damn it," he struck the sand with his fist, glaring over to the broken bodies of the humans he had struck down with powerful magic. If only he had kept at least one of them alive. If only he had received his vision sooner, he could have gotten to the shore in time to stop any of this from ever happening... His friend was bleeding out I the arms of his own mate, and it was all because Taemin didn't get there soon enough.

"Taemin, tell me. Whatever I have to do to save Key, I will. I won't let him die! Even if I have to die myself, Key will live." Jonghyun shouted, the last part was quieter and he didn't know if Taemin even heard it, as more tears fell down his face. Key coughed up more blood, and the raven shifted his mate to an upright position so the blood wouldn't clot in his throat and suffocate him. "Please, please tell me that there is some way to save him, Taemin..." He had thought he had lost Key once, but even in his darkest moments, he had at least known that Key was alive and well. But now, if he lost Key now, there would be no condoling him. There would be no silver lining to losing Key, because he would be dead. Jonghyun could handle losing him if it meant that somewhere he was alive and well, but he couldn't handle the thought of Key's light being wiped from the earth.

"The only way now is to trade his life for someone else's..." Taemin told Jonghyun quietly. "But... I killed the humans... There is no one else..." He looked away, not being able to hear seeing either of his friends in so much pain. "I'm sorry, Jonghyun..." How terrible, he thought, to have the love of your life dying in your arms. Taemin couldn't imagine if he was in Jonghyun's place, and it was Minho in his arms.

"There is someone," Jonghyun said, his voice only loud enough for Taemin to hear. The Sea Witch looked up, confused, honey brown eyes looking for whoever Jonghyun was talking about. When he finally managed to look at his friend, his eyes widened in realization. He could see the decision in the raven haired male's eyes.

"No! No, no, no!" Taemin hissed, his eyes widening. "Jonghyun, I won't trade your life for his! He has an immortal soul, he can be born again. You don't! I refuse to let you do–" before he could finish his sentence, Jonghyun was cutting him off.

"It's not your decision. It's mine. I will do anything for Key to live... Now do it, Taemin. No arguments! He's barely breathing and we don't have time." Jonghyun gave the Sea Witch a small, content smile, and Taemin knew that he couldn't deny the raven his demand. "He's my everything, Taemin. I can't live without him. Even Gidae wouldn't be able to save me from self-destructing if I lost him. I'm not strong enough to recover... But Key? He will. I know he will. Because he is strong. Gidae will keep him grounded, because he loves so deeply that he could never leave her. She will be his Hope, her name will be her legacy."

"... I can't save both of you... But I can give you time to say goodbye..." Taemin whispered, dragging himself over to the other mermen. Key was deathly still in Jonghyun's arms, and Taemin only hoped that there was enough time left. "Are you ready?" He whispered quietly, sadness shining dully in his eyes. Jonghyun nodded, his body relaxing now that he knew the Key would live. He was at peace with his fate, and his mind took him back to the first time he thought he was going to die. Back when he was sitting on the railing of the ship, and he awaited sunrise to take him away. Taemin began chanting a spell quietly under his breath, and Jonghyun could feel the moment that his life was traded for that of his beloved's. It was done. A smile crossed his lips as he collapsed forward, his last conscious though being: Key will live.

-

Key woke up gasping, his hand immediately flying to his stomach, where the harpoon had hit him. While the area was sore and tender to the touch, there was no gaping wound. The light haired brunette's breathing and heart rate finally slowed when he heard the all- too- familiar sound of Jonghyun's breathing next to him. In nearly four and a half years, he could easily recognize any sound that the raven made, and it was comforting to know that Jonghyun was beside him. And hopefully his mate would have some answers as to how Key was still alive.

He turned, and immediately stiffened. Jonghyun was paler than Key had ever seen him. Doing a once over his mate's body, he could see just how terrible the raven haired male looked, and it set his pulse back to a dangerously quick rate. Jonghyun's fin was dull in color, the once rich midnight blue looking almost grey, his lips were chapped, his hair had streaks of grey in it... He looked like someone was draining the life straight out of him. "Jonghyun... Oh god Jonghyun!" Key whimpered, pulling the raven over to him and onto his lap.

Slowly, Jonghyun opened his eyes, and Key's heart still in his chest. Jonghyun's eyes, which usually sparkled with life and laughter and love, were now a muddy, washed out brown, and held no shine whatsoever. But when they landed on Key, a small spark of life appeared in them, and a tired smile lit up the male's face. Key wanted to breathe out a sigh of relief, but something told him that things weren't going to get better. "Hey baby..." Jonghyun croaked, the sentence caught in his throat and sent him into a coughing fit.

"What's happening to you?" Key whispered, tears forming in his eyes. Jonghyun looked so sickly, so broken, and Key had a terrible feeling in his gut. He knew the harpoon in his chest hadn't been a dream, but now he woke up with nothing more than a sore spot and Jonghyun looked like her was on the brink of death... Hazel eyes widened, and some of the tears spilled over, as his mind connected the dots. "Please, please tell me that you didn't..."

The smile faded off of the raven's face, but his eyes stayed locked on Key's, and the light haired brunette could see the grim, but at peace, resolve there. "Then I won't tell you..." He croaked, and then with a struggle that would bring even the gods to their knees, he managed to move his hand up to caress Key's cheek. "I love you so much, Kim Kibum... I could never... Live without you..."

"I can't live without you, either," Key hiccuped, feeling his heart crying out, "I can't live without you in my life Jonghyun... I can't... I can't lose you..." The prince wept, holding Jonghyun's cold body even tighter against him. He couldn't even begin to imagine a world where Jonghyun wasn't at his side. But that was the reality that he was facing. "How... How did you Ben save me?"

"Taemin... He couldn't save you... But... He could switch who died... And I willingly... Took your place..." The raven whispered calmly, his eyes getting a distant look in them. He took in a shuddering breath, and when he exhaled, there was a strange hissing, almost a rattle like sound, and Key wept harder, because the last time he had heard that sound was when his grandmother had died. "You... You can keep living... Without me... Gidae, our beautiful baby girl... She'll help you..."

Key couldn't even find words to argue with the man, because he could see how Jonghyun saw it. He loved openly, deeply, and unconditionally, and even though losing Jonghyun would cripple him, he wouldn't even try to deny that, he would be able to pull strength from those that he loved... But nothing could ever repair the Jonghyun sized hole in his heart. Key wept on, his thoughts wasting precious moments with his beloved, and he could feel the life draining out of Jonghyun as he lay curled up against him, the raven's head tucked under his chin.

"I l-love you... So much, J-Jonghyun..." Key whimpered, trying to stifle his tears for the last moment he had with his mate. He wanted Jonghyun's last memory of him to be of him smiling, not crying. "From the moment I met you, I knew you were the only one for me, even if I didn't acknowledge it right away..." He still didn't have his memories, but he knew that something had happened that had caused Jonghyun to leave. "But you have all of me, Jonghyun... And I love you so much that... That... I don't know how I'm ever going to learn to live without you..."

"Mmm..." The sound was just a small hum in the back of the raven's throat, and his eyes were more distant that before. "Key... What is it called when water... falls from the sky...?" He asked, and Key was confused by the question, and he looked towards the sky, trying to spot rain clouds, but he couldn't see any. "I can feel it hitting my hand..." At this, Key looked down, and to his horror, he saw blood drops on the hand that was in Jonghyun's lap. "You know... when I first saw you... Water droplets began... to fall from the sky... I rather like them..."

Realization hit Key like a tidal wave, and he couldn't keep the tears at bay even if he wanted to. Jonghyun thought that the blood hitting his hand was rain. He wanted to correct him, but he decided against it. What use was it to ruin a dying man's last fantasy, and how cruel would that be? "It's called rain... When water falls from the sky, it's raining..." Key finally answered, tears falling down his face in a torrent.

"Rain... what a... Pretty word..." Jonghyun shifted to he could look up at Key, his lifeless eyes falling on his Kate's face. "You're... Crying...? Why?" He was so far gone that it was unbearable for Key to watch, but he didn't want to miss a moment with the love of his life. He took a breath, and forced another small, heartbroken smile.

"It's because... I love you so much... Every part of me, everything I always have been, and everything I always will be, loves you... I couldn't have asked for a better mate, a better father... A better friend..." He started choking up again, but he held it back. These were words that he had to say before it was too late. "You're my everything too, Jonghyun. And I just... I can't stop myself from crying because... My heart is so full of love for you that sometimes it's unbearable... But I love that too... You... You completed my world, and gave me color and music and... I don't know how... How..." His shoulders shook, but he still struggled to hold in the sobs until he was finished. "I love you, so much... So very... Very much... You are the light of my life..."

"I... Love you too... Key..." The raven whispered, and closed his eyes slowly. "I'm so tired..." His voice was a soft whisper. This was it, and Key felt the crippling agony and grief tugging in his chest. His hand caressed Jonghyun's face, cursing everything: the humans who had shot him, the world, himself, Taemin, any or anything that had ever taken time away that could have been spent with the raven. Jonghyun's next words shook him out of his thoughts. "Will you be here when I wake up?" He asked slowly. "I... Want to... Watch the rain..." His voice faded out, and he went limp in Key's arms.

"Jonghyun," Key shook the male, panic bubbling in his chest. Not yet! Jonghyun couldn't die yet! "Jonghyun, wake up, please… Don't go! Not yet! Please! I love you, I love you so much. You can't… Not yet… Not… Yet." He began to sob in earnest, his body draping over his mate's still form as the tears poured down his cheeks. He was gone. The love of his life was gone, and it was all to save him. Key dragged in air only to weep it out once more, and he let his tears fall until there were no more left.

- Jonghyun and Key: What I Wouldn't Give: Epilogue -

"But Papa got better, right?" Gidae's huge hazel eyes stared up at Taemin, whose lap she was currently sitting on. "He smiles now, and he laughs, and he acts happy." The ten year old mermaid looked to her Uncle, who was giving her a small, soft smile.

"Slowly. He's still trying to get better," Taemin admitted, the thought of Jonghyun and Key's story still fresh in his mind from telling it to the little girl. It seemed so long ago, but really, it had only been six years since that terrible day. There was nothing that Taemin regretted in his life more than the fact that he couldn't save them both. Had they been underwater, near his old dwelling, he could have made the potion. But the beach was too far out.

Sometimes he would wonder what life would be like if Jonghyun hadn't sacrificed himself, but he knew that if was no use to think about what couldn't be. And not a day went by that he didn't see some sort of reminder of the male, whether it was in the way Gidae looked at something, or he saw someone hopelessly in love. Sometimes, it was when he saw the faraway look in Key's eyes.

He never could look at the hazel eyed male when he started looking that way. He always felt that if he had only been a little bit better at receiving visions, a little bit faster at swimming, he could have saved Jonghyun. He felt like it was his fault that Key was without his mate, and that little Gidae would never truly know her father. Key had always told him that he had tried his best, but Taemin didn't believe that, and he doubted that he ever would.

So that was why he would tell any children who would listen to him the tale of the merman who fell in love with a human. Even if Jonghyun wasn't with them, Taemin would keep his legacy alive, spreading it for years to come. Minho never laughed at him for this, but instead saw how serious his mate was, and supported him whole heartedly… After all, he had been Jonghyun's best friend.

"Are you telling my daughter that I'm not emotionally okay again, Taemin?" Key's voice, soft but amused came from the doorway, startling the Sea Witch. The hazel eyed male swam in, and opened his arms to his daughter, who swam into them with a happy squeal. "It still hurts, it always will, but I am stable." Key rolled his eyes, and smiled at his daughter. "And it's all because I have hope…"

Taemin smiled back at the former prince, his mind flashing back to the first time he had ever seen him. So much had changed since then, all of them had changed. Life had gotten tough and sad for a while, but it was slowly getting better… Everything would always get better, with time.

"Well Key, I was telling her the story of how you and Jonghyun met, actually…" He said. And life truly did go on.


End file.
